Banded jewel cichlid (Hemichromis elongatus)

Scientific name: Hemichromis elongatus Guichenot, 1861

Banded jewel cichlid (Hemichromis elongatus)

The Banded jewel cichlid (Hemichromis elongatus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae. In the aquarium it needs water at 23–25°C (73–77°F).

Banded jewel cichlid care at a glance

Temperature
23–25°C (73–77°F)

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10. Diagnosis: 4-5 distinct blotches or ovoid bars along lateral mid-line, but bands not obvious in large males which assume a very dark to almost black coloration. Scales olive to yellow; series of thin red dots often forming horizontal lines along the mid-portion of flanks; normally 2 rows of teeth on upper jaw. Magenta spot on gill cover.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Hemichromis elongatus
Family
Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
18.7
Environment
Freshwater;; pH range: ? - 7.0; dH range: ? - 15 benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Africa: Cameroon to the Republic of Congo, and the entire Congo River, Okavango and Zambesi system. Also reported from west Africa (Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, Benin, Nigeria), but this needs confirmation. Upper Zambezi and (some) Congo populations may represent a different species.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries:
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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