Order Perciformes | Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Similar Jewel cichlid, Hemichromis frempongi, Hemichromis elongatus, Nanochromis, Neolamprologus meeli | ||
Hemichromis fasciatus, also called the banded jewelfish and five-spot cichlid, is a species of fish in the cichlid family. It is distributed throughout West Africa. It can also be found in the Nile Basin, Lake Chad, and the upper Zambezi. It can reach a length of 26.5 centimetres (10.4 in).
Contents
Description
The banded jewelfish is yellow-green with a bronze iridescence and has five large, black, glossy oval patches on the side of the body. Older specimens have a brick-red dot on each scale. The mouth is large and wide.
In the aquarium
The banded jewel fish is a very aggressive and territorial species. They do best in pairs and require a large aquarium (at least 55 gallons). The adult fish usually dig into the aquarium substrate and prefer to feed on live food, choosing large fragments of meat, water insects, and worms. Breeding is relatively easy, especially in brackish water. Up to 1000 eggs are lain on a stone. Both parents protect and accompany their offspring until the latter have reached a size of 2-3 cm (1 in).
