Remarks: The Rubricatochromis exsul, known commonly as the Turkana Jewel Cichlid, is a brilliant red fish with jet-black fins and blue iridescence in the dorsal fin. They are considered a dwarf cichlid species because they rarely grow past 3.5" in length. They are great for small tanks (20 Long or greater) and can be kept with a small school of medium sized African tetras, such as Congo Tetras, or catfish like Synodontis spp. It is best to provide them with a sandy substrate that they can move around as they please to create burrows for spawning.

  Rubricatochromis exsul is the current, correct scientific name for the Turkana jewel cichlid, which was formerly known as Hemichromis exsul. The species was reclassified into the new genus Rubricatochromis in 2022 because it has key differences from the Hemichromis genus, such as being smaller and having a different body shape. Therefore, Rubricatochromis exsul is the scientifically accurate name. 

 

Scientific Name:  Rubricatochromis exsul 

Common Name: Turkana Jewel Cichlid

Max Size: 3.5"

pH: 5.0-7.0

Hardness: Moderate

Temperature: 72-82°

Aggressiveness: Semi-Aggressive

Region of Origin: West Africa

Captive Bred or Wild: Captive Bred

Diet: Flake or pellet

Compatibility: West African cichlids, catfish, larger schooling fish.

Tank Mate Options:

• Yellow Congo Tetra
• Synodontis ocellifer
• Synodontis eupterus