# Jewel Cichlid Color Change?



## Xenon

I am an idiot when it comes to cichlids. Below are some pics of my Jewel Cichlids...I came in tonight to find one of them almost completely red while the other was kinda red. They are usually flesh tone with blue dots.

I was wondering whether this was due to stress, defense, sleeping, mating, or aggression? Does anyone know what would cause such a drastic change.

I have noticed the 2 jewel swimming with each other and rubbing up against each other a lot....see below for pics!

BTW, he has no tail from a incident a long time ago with a Spilo CF. The bigger one is like 2-3 inches and the smaller one is like 1.5-2


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## Xenon

#2


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## Xenon

#3


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## Xenon

This is them rubbing together:


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## smb

I have had that happen twice to me. Once when there was 2 males and after they fought the sub lost his colors and the dominate one got even brighter.

I have also had that happen with a male and female and the male got really bright after a while being with her. They never bred, but I thought at the time that that was the reason why tho, because he was showing off for her.

Edit: I should say that it looks like you have a male and a female there and he's showing off for her to get her ready to breed. Keep an eye out for her, just in case she doesn't want to breed tho. He _could_ kill her if she isn't ready or won't breed.


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## Xenon

HawgHunter11 said:


> I have had that happen twice to me. Once when there was 2 males and after they fought the sub lost his colors and the dominate one got even brighter.
> 
> I have also had that happen with a male and female and the male got really bright after a while being with her. They never bred, but I thought at the time that that was the reason why tho, because he was showing off for her.
> 
> Edit: I should say that it looks like you have a male and a female there and he's showing off for her to get her ready to breed. Keep an eye out for her, just in case she doesn't want to breed tho. He _could_ kill her if she isn't ready or won't breed.


 That was my guess....something about sex and breeding....i will keep an eye on them best i can...the bigger one has been spending a lot of time in the old crayfish cave so maybe he/she is getting something ready!


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## smb

Xenon said:


> HawgHunter11 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have had that happen twice to me. Once when there was 2 males and after they fought the sub lost his colors and the dominate one got even brighter.
> 
> I have also had that happen with a male and female and the male got really bright after a while being with her. They never bred, but I thought at the time that that was the reason why tho, because he was showing off for her.
> 
> Edit: I should say that it looks like you have a male and a female there and he's showing off for her to get her ready to breed. Keep an eye out for her, just in case she doesn't want to breed tho. He _could_ kill her if she isn't ready or won't breed.
> 
> 
> 
> That was my guess....something about sex and breeding....i will keep an eye on them best i can...the bigger one has been spending a lot of time in the old crayfish cave so maybe he/she is getting something ready!
Click to expand...

 Probably the male, getting the cave cleaned and ready for the female.


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## Innes

they are preparing to breed, and I like the way you describe the missing tail as happening a long time ago - you barely just got cichlids.

Good luck with the breeding processes

heres a handy link

Oh, and are we going to see these jewel cichlids in next months non-piranha POTM?
we already have a couple of entrys, and the standard is high again


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## garybusey

Good Work Xexon... Those Are some awesome Jewels.... Those Red ones take not sh*t watsoever. I Have put Full grown Flowers horns and Depseys with my P's and the Only one to Survive? Jewels.... Beautifull fish... Good Work!


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## Xenon

The tail was bitten off about 3 months ago by Sauron, my Spilopleura CF.

They get red sometimes but usually around the gill area. This color change was so drastic however, I had to take a pic!


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