# Jewel Cichlids



## ValorieMackison (Dec 10, 2010)

I have 2 jewel cichlids, each roughly 2 inches long, residing in a 20 gallon tank. The tank has been cycled & running for the last 3 years. The tank is planted & includes drift wood & rocks, if that matters.

They started in a 55 gallon but ate 4 black mollies & all the molly fry. They were then moved to the 20 gallon. (I was so bummed, as I've never had fish fry {that I know if!})

There was 1 zebra danio in the tank when I added the jewels 3 months ago. Within days, the jewels had eaten the danio. 

For 3 months the jewels lived together peacefully. A week ago both fish turned a bright shade of red but still lived peacefully. This morning, one of the jewels turned a smoky black shade on the upper half of it's body & it started attacking/eating it's tank mate.

I have been feeding them blood worms & pellets twice a day, since they seem to always be hungry.

Is this normal? The eating of one another, that is? This is my first time keeping cichlids.

Also, do they nibble on live plants from time to time? I noticed that after they were added, the plants in that tank have started developing little holes in the leaves, etc.

Thanks in advance!
Valorie


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

I don't keep jewels myself but wading through the info on the net that I could find for you it would seem that by allowing them to feed on other fish you have brought out there natural wild behavior. Most sites seem to say that you can keep multiple females (the bright red bodies mean female) together if there are enough territories set up but a couple of the forums speak of how aggressive they become when fed feeder fish as part of their diet. With all the feeder fish gone and in such cramped space they turned on each other, you brought them back to their natural behavior, good or bad!


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

1^ with dalfed.Although regarded in lit. as one of the most sought after,they are still african cichlids and not given proper space /or given the oppurtunity(to eat fish) they will become very tough.
They're known in wild to make it to 6" and generally found at 4" in aquariums.That would lead me to think you got twice the "beast" still coming to you.They need a bigger tank and some competition.If you're not really into aggressive fish(and all that comes with them),I would "cash out" with them.


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I have had jewels for a while. And I have never had anything but problems with more than one in a tank at a time! When their solitary they are fine. Its also important with cichlids to have dither fish! I have a school of rosy barbs in my cichlid tank. They are fast and distract the cochlids from one another. It makes the tank more colorful and active and no ones getting hurt! But this also brings more WC and better filtration. Small price for such a beautiful tank.


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