Neon Jewel Cichlid Care Guide - Tank Setup, Diet & Breeding

Neon Jewel Cichlids are compact, vividly coloured African cichlids with a deep-bodied shape and an intense red, orange or pink ground colour. Their flanks may show electric blue-green markings, especially across the cheeks, gill covers and sides, giving the trade form its striking “Neon” name. Colour can become dramatically stronger when the fish is excited, displaying or caring for eggs.

Despite their relatively modest adult size, these cichlids have a bold personality. They are intelligent, alert and highly territorial, with aggression becoming particularly pronounced when a pair claims a breeding site. A bonded pair can be attentive parents, but may relentlessly drive other fish away from their chosen territory.

In the wild, jewel cichlids and their close relatives inhabit warm, slow to moderately flowing waters, including forest streams, river margins and quiet backwaters. These environments commonly contain submerged roots, fallen leaves, rocks and other cover that break up lines of sight.

The name “Neon Jewel Cichlid” is primarily a trade designation rather than a formally established species name. Because the exact identity and locality of this form are not always consistent between suppliers, colour, adult size and temperament can vary somewhat among specimens.

Neon Jewel Cichlid is the aquarium trade name for Rubricatochromis sp. 'Neon', a selectively developed or incompletely identified form associated with the West African jewel cichlid group. Its precise wild locality is not reliably documented, while related Rubricatochromis species occur in rivers, streams and forest waterways across tropical West Africa.

A pair should have at least 120 litres, with a larger aquarium preferable if tankmates are planned; a footprint of roughly 90 × 40 cm or more provides useful territorial space. Use fine sand or smooth gravel, together with rocks, slate, caves, robust wood and other structures that create visual barriers and potential spawning sites. Leave open swimming areas while providing several retreats. Plants may be uprooted or damaged, so choose tough species attached to wood or rock if greenery is desired. Efficient filtration, good oxygenation and stable, clean water are important.

Up to about 12 cm (4.7 in) in total length. Males are often slightly larger and more robust than females, although the exact adult size varies between specimens and trade lines.

Neon Jewel Cichlids are omnivores and should receive a varied diet based on a quality cichlid pellet or granule. Supplement this with frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworm, mysis shrimp and daphnia, along with occasional spirulina-based foods or blanched vegetable matter. Feed modest portions and remove uneaten food, as these fish are enthusiastic eaters and can easily be overfed.

A compatible pair is often best kept alone, particularly in a breeding setup. In a very spacious aquarium, robust, similarly sized fish such as sturdy African riverine cichlids or large, quick-moving characins may sometimes be kept with them, but success is never guaranteed. Avoid delicate, slow-moving or long-finned species, small community fish, dwarf shrimp and other peaceful cichlids. Keeping multiple pairs in a typical aquarium commonly leads to severe territorial conflict.

Neon Jewel Cichlids are substrate spawners that usually breed readily when kept as a compatible pair. The female lays eggs on a flat rock, slate, flowerpot or another firm surface, and both parents guard the clutch and defend the surrounding territory. Eggs generally hatch within a few days, after which the free-swimming fry can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp or other suitably tiny foods. Pair formation is important, as an incompatible male and female may seriously injure one another.

Males are commonly a little larger, with a broader head and somewhat more extended dorsal and anal fins. Females are usually smaller and rounder-bodied, and may develop especially vivid red colouration when carrying eggs or guarding fry.