🚀 go-pugleaf

I have a puzzler for some African cichlid enthusiasts.

In short, I bought some (5) fish I couldn't identify...BECAUSE
I couldn't identify them.
I realize that the 3 likliest possibilities are
   1) species I just haven't seen before
   2) hybrid
   3) hormones

The fish looks a lot like a regular Hemichromis "jewel cichlid"
as far a body shape and temperment.  It was sold at the fishstore
as "neon jewel cichlid".  The major puzzler is their color: it is
the main difference between them and regular jewel cichlids.

Description follows:

Coloring: "Jewel" scales are bright blue, about the shade of the
	  mouth of a healthy Jack Dempsey.  Background color is
	  redder than the "salmon" shade that jewels are usually
	  in when not breeding, but not as red as the bright red
	  "jewel cichlids breeding" picture I've seen in several
	  books (do they really get that bright? mine never have)
	  There is a black "eyespot" on the gill cover, as in
	  regular jewel cichlids, but none near the tail on 4
	  of the 5 fish, and only a faint, faded spot on the other.
	  The edges of the dorsal and caudal fins have a thin
	  fringe of bright red, about 1/16 inch thick.

Current size of 5 specimens: 1-1/4 - 1-1/2 inches standard length.
Body shape: identical (as far as I can tell) to jewel cichlids
Sexual dimorphism: none apparent
Feeding: they eat Hikari cichlid pellets until I'm afraid they'll pop.
         The "small" pellets hardly fit into their mouths, but
	 they'll each suck down 6 or 8 pellets for an evening meal.
	 Bellies bulge! These are piggy fish.
Temperment: they chase and nip each other a bit, but all the torn
            fins they had 10 days ago when I bought them have healed,
	    so they appear to be fighting less than in the overcrowded
	    tank in the store.
Growth:  noticible in 10 days!  About 1/8 - 1/4 inches each
	 since I got them.

I realize that much of this is unnecessary, but I couldn't think
of what else to add that might be useful.  If anyone knows what
these might be, let me know.  If now, I'll keep 'em anyway: they're
beautiful... and let me know 8 months from now if anyone wants
fry: I have high hopes.

Brian Silverstein