Jewel cichlid

Red tilapia ( Hemichromis bimaculatus )

Hemichromis ( Gr. " hemi " = half; " Chromis " = old scientific Misc Cichlids f ) is a genus of African cichlids ( Cichlidae ). The different types are eight to twenty inches long.

Dissemination

They have their main distribution in West Africa, from Senegal to Angola. Individual species also live in North Africa, in the upper Nile, Lake Chad, Lake Turkana in Kenya, in the Zambezi and endemic in May - Ndombe lake in the Congo area.

Features

Hemichromis species are moderately elongated, laterally flattened shape. They usually have conical, rarely also bicuspid teeth, which are usually in a row. An additional row or two rows of teeth may be present in rare cases and is then formed more or less completely. The teeth of the additional rows of teeth are always much smaller and narrower. The pharyngeal teeth are not mahlzahnartig.

  • Fins formula: Dorsal XIII-XV/9-13, Anal III/7-10.

Hemichromis species are open breeders that leave their eggs on flat stones, larger leaves or roots. They form a parents' family. The fry hatch after 42 to 50 hours and swim 5-6 days after oviposition free. They are maintained up to a size of about 3 cm from the parents.

Species

The genus can be divided into two groups of species which differ markedly in size, coloration, and behavior.

  • Hemichromis fasciatus species group Hemichromis elongatus - ( Guichenot in Duméril, 1861)
  • Five spots cichlid ( Hemichromis fasciatus ) - Peters, 1857
  • Hemichromis frempongi - Loiselle, 1979
  • Hemichromis angolensis - Steindachner, 1865, Nomen nudum
  • Red tilapia ( Hemichromis bimaculatus ) - Gill, 1862
  • Hemichromis cerasogaster - ( Boulenger, 1899)
  • Hemichromis exsul - ( Trewavas, 1933)
  • Hemichromis guttatus - Günther, 1862
  • Letourneux Red cichlid ( Hemichromis letourneuxi ) - Sauvage, 1880
  • Lifalilis cichlid ( Hemichromis lifalili ) - Loiselle, 1979
  • Hemichromis stellifer - Loiselle, 1979

Hunting and

Some species have a strong red color and are popular aquarium fish. However, they are sometimes aggressive and dig strong and are therefore not suitable for a normal community aquarium.

Congo River Fish fin African jewelfish FishBase
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