The Blood-Red Jewel Cichlid (Hemichromis lifalili) is a freshwater fish in the Cichlidae family of cichlids.
The Blood-Red Jewel Cichlid is red-orange to bright red with rows of small blue spots all over its body, head, and fins. It has two dark spots on its sides. In the mating season, its whole body turns red.
It can grow to 8-10 centimetres (3-4 inches) in length.
It is native to the Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It prefers rocky rivers.
It feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects, small fish and aquatic vegetation.
The female Blood-Red Jewel Cichlid lays about 400 eggs on a stone at the bottom of the river. The eggs hatch after 2 days.
Location of photographs: Aquarium, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM