Editor’s note: the specie of fish in this article was subsequently identified as a type of sun fish.  Although similar in appearance to jewel cichlids, sun fish are adapted to the colder environment of Prior Lake.

Prior Lake's roster of wildlife recently grew with the discovery of an African fish readily available to aquarium hobbyists at local pet stores. Photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.

View Royal’s Prior Lake, a popular swimming and fishing spot northwest of Thetis Lake off Highland Road, is now home to more than trout and minnow.

The surprising addition is native to the warm rivers, lakes and tributaries of west and northeastern Africa, and other than the fact that it is a freshwater specie, it has no business thriving in such a cool aquatic environment.

Hemichromis bimaculatus, commonly known in the aquatic trade as the Jewel cichlid (“cichlid” is pronounced sick-lid), African jewelfish or simply Jewelfish, is the likeliest specie matching the description and photo (below) and has appeared in large numbers along the sandy shore of Prior Lake.

This fish is likely Hemichromis bimaculatus, a species originating from warm lakes and rivers of northern Africa. Photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.

Nobody knows when the Jewelfish were first introduced (likely dumped by an aquarium enthusiast unable or unwilling to care for them), although given the fact that at least two dozen of varying sizes were observed, they have likely been in the lake for several months and have begun to breed.

According to a local pet shop owner, who requested to remain anonymous, the cichlids can grow to some six inches in length and in south Island lakes would likely feed on tadpoles and mosquito larvae.  However, the shop owner stressed that the “[Jewelfish] shouldn’t be able to thrive in the lake, but if they are indeed breeding then they have surprisingly acclimatized themselves.”

A Capital Regional District (CRD) representative, when asked about foreign species in local lakes, was stunned by the news of an African cichlid thriving in local waters but also confirmed that the CRD’s hands are tied in the matter.

While the CRD manages Thetis Lake and its surroundings, the local government body has no jurisdiction over the aquatic environment and must call upon Transport Canada to assess the situation and decide on an appropriate course of action.

And just what an appropriate course of action could be is hard to tell at this point.  After all, a thin layer of ice may form over much of Prior Lake’s surface once in a while throughout the winter months. Given such a significant dip in temperature, Jewelfish would have a difficult time thriving under such harsh conditions and may disappear as quickly as they appeared.

However, until the situation is investigated and experts are able to ascertain how long the fish have been living in the lake and whether or not they somehow survived the previous winter, it is too early to tell if the Jewelfish pose a long-term threat to the lake and how they could impact local species.

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