Jewel Fish

Description: body ovoid; snout short and slightly rounded to pointed; frontal profile straight to slightly concave; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307). Coloration: body light to medium brown, dorsum slightly darker; dark spots almost always present on flanks and caudal peduncle; centrally located lateral spot relatively large, round and often surrounded by a lighter zone; some specimens with iridiophores all over body and fins, but fully absent in others; caudal and anal fins yellowish to brownish, pale reddish at their base; dorsal and caudal fins often with a red margin; pelvic fins with a reddish to violet anterior edge; dark vertical bars sometimes appear on flanks (e.g. when stressed); bright red across the entire body when dominant, except for the lighter colored zone surrounding the lateral spot (when visible); yellow lateral stripe sometimes apparent, from posterior edge of opercle to caudal peduncle; dorsal and caudal fins either bright red or yellow with red margins (Ref. 52307).

Savannah associated species which prospers in a range of lentic habitats (Ref. 5644, 52307), tolerant of a wide range of water quality parameters and found inboth very soft waters and highly saline ones (Ref. 52307), including brackish water lagoons, large lakes and riverine flood plains (Ref. 5644). Occurs near vegetation beds and fringes. Feeds on Caridina and insects. Pair-bonding (Ref. 52307) substrate spawner (Ref. 28714, 52307), ripe and spent fish are common early in the flood season (Ref. 28714).

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