Hemichromis

The jewel cichlid, Hemichromis bimaculatus, is a cichlid from Africa's western coast, between southern Guinea and central Liberia. Regularly seen in the trade and often sold as a community fish, it is not recommended for the beginner or the general community tank, and it becomes very aggressive when spawning. It can be told from H. lifalili by a third black spot, on the caudal peduncle.

The five star general, Hemichromis elongatus, is a highly aggressive cichlid recorded from Guinea, Cameroon, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The common name comes from the row of five dark markings along its flanks. A piscivore, it eats any fish it can fit into its mouth, does not tolerate conspecifics outside a pair and is best kept in a species tank. The patchy recorded range suggests it has been misidentified in places or occurs in more countries.

The blood-red jewel cichlid, Hemichromis lifalili, is a cichlid endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Often confused with H. bimaculatus, it has two black spots on the flanks against that species' three, and its round midlateral marking sits above the lateral line, unlike the oval one of the red form of H. guttatus. It becomes very aggressive when spawning but is fairly placid otherwise, and is not a particularly good species for the community tank or for newcomers to cichlids.