Hemichromis: I Think I Have A Pair, Someone Confirm?

[Chris2]

I grabbed 6 1-1.5" Jewels (hemichromis) Tuesday afternoon. I placed them all in the same tank that day.

Today during a feeding i noticed i have 4 very dark/subdued colored jewels, and two that are much lighter tan w/streaks of red and spots of green. The two that are "colored up" attack all the other jewels, but they dont attack each other. They also seem to take turns eating from the feeder tube i use. I watched them for another 15 minutes and didnt see an aggression between the two, but rather the usual team work you would suspect from a paired cichlid.

From everything i have read, this sounds/looks like a pair to me...but so soon? Its only been 3 nights?

EDIT: And hemichromis are an African....sorry, can a mod move this for me?

 

[Davo86]

IME jewels are a lot like convicts in that they pair up and breed very easily, and from what you are saying you could well have a young pair,

 

[Chris2]

Excellent, thanks! Ive been thinking, the term "breeding" fish should be dropped in place of either one or both of these "creating pairs" and/or "rearing fry" lol...the breeding is really up to them.

 

[minnnt]

Just a word to the wise... These become an almighty P.I.T.A. when breeding, they're evil!! And the fry are hard to shift on mate so bare this in mind.

Oh, and congratulations on 'creating a pair!'

 

[Chris2]

What do you mean by the fry are hard to shift on? I left a dither (the largest/healthiest other jewel) in the tank over night because i have read that the pair will need something to let there aggression out on or else they turn on eachother. Just went and checked on them, and they killed the dither....so ill see how they behave alone now.

 

[minnnt]

Well, they will lay probably 2-300 eggs, of which 90% will hatch of which 90% will survive and there is not that much interest in them due to them being extremely aggressive when breeding, and like you have found out first hand.

 

[Chris2]

Ok i understand now. Getting rid of the offspring will be the trouble. Im lucky in that respect as my employer said he will take whatever i breed. The real work for me will be husbandry.

Edit: I should note that he will take them...but not pay for them lol.

 

[minnnt]

LOL! You will not have to do anything mate once they start breeding. They're very good parents and will do everything they can to look after their young.

 

[Chris2]

haha awesome, nothing like a confidence builder. Somewhere down the line i would like to breed something that has never been bred before, for bragging rights you know?

 

[minnnt]

Like what? If they haven't been bred before it's usually for a reason

 

[Chris2]

Like what? If they haven't been bred before it's usually for a reason

Just about anything. I was big in Marine breeding before i started this up, and the big communal push was to breed stuff that has not been bred yet to further reduce the impact of the hobby on the wild. I think thats pretty important given the recent push for everyone to be "green". Its not only good marketing for businesses to push captive bred/tank raised fish but its also just a good thing. CR/TR fish are usually already adapted to aquarium life, usually ship better, accept more prepared foods and are just healthier on a whole.

As for specifics, well with freshwater its pretty hard to find things that have not been CR/TR yet lol...the freshwater breeding scene is decades ahead of the marine breeding. For example, it was just a few years ago that Mandarin's were 100% wild caught. Now with ORA breeding them (and even a few hobbyist) that number has come down.

If i could find something like that for the freshwater hobby, i would like to attempt it somewhere down the road when i have more experience. I've been told there are some killi fish in the streams around where i live that would make a good aquarium fish, but i know nothing about them. If i get a chance before it cools off this summer id like to grab 5-6 and hold them over the winter to observe/grow and see where it goes. They are quite colorful!

 

[minnnt]

Go and buy some Cichlasoma Ornatums then... Get them breeding and you would be looking at £20+ per fish for a private breeder. Either that or Glass Catfish.

 

[Davo86]

Edit: I should note that he will take them...but not pay for them lol.

You should ask yourself how long this will last though, at work a while back we told a customer we would take a few jewels off their hands,
they turned up with near to 100 2" jewels, which took us a good 7 months to shift,

needless to say that was a one time offer

 

[minnnt]

My point exactly. If wanting to breed something, try something that lfs (try 3 or 4!) actually want and have a market for.

 

[Chris2]

My point exactly. If wanting to breed something, try something that lfs (try 3 or 4!) actually want and have a market for.

Excellent point. And I agree. But it does not apply in this situation, since my employer is a wholesaler.

I was talking to him (employer) today and asked if he had seen a C. Ornatus on any lists. He did not recognize the name, so i showed him on my phone what they were...he said he has not seen them in years.

Which made me wonder...it IS a cichlosoma, so why are they so hard to find? They should be as plentiful as the rest of the family right?