I will be setting up a 75 gallon tank soon and plan on buying a baby Electric blue Dempsey (I’ve always wanted one) only a couple inches long. *Awarded Answer General help. If the aquarium conditions are to their liking, they may breed several times per year, up to 3 or times per year in fact. If you buy a group of cichlids that are young and all the same size, and only get 1 of each (preferably all males), you could keep some of the tougher cichlids with a Jack Dempsey (JD). General Aquaria Discussion. These cichlids stay in the lower and middle levels of the tank. Also, the Kissing Gourami can grow up to 8 inches in length, so it won’t have a problem defending itself against a Jack Dempsey Cichlid. The common name for the Jack Dempsey may make you think that this fish is a bruiser. Ok, so you can definitely keep male and female Jack Dempsey fish together. I am thinking a … The Jack Dempsey Cichlid is fairly aggressive and likes to pick on smaller fish. The safest option is for you to keep them as the sole species in a tank, especially if you’re not experienced in handling their aggression. These fish require fairly warm water as they are native to tropical climates. Genus: Rocio 8. These fish prefer substrate that is a big murky, sandy, and muddy, combined with some solid substrate, such as gravel and small rocks on top. Jack Dempsey cichlids are an aggressive species of fish that needs plenty of territory. They are aggressive fish, especially if they don’t have enough space in the tank. Possible tank mates for an electric blue Jack Dempsey. Jack Dempsey cichlids will spice up your aquarium with varying shades, including pink, blue, and gold. Although blue Cichlasoma is calm, they remain predators. They will often claim a cave first and be very aggressive to other tank mates that swim near its home. Bearing in mind that the Jack Dempsey fish is a predatory species when attempting to select tank mates for them, you will have to look away from relatively small(er) fishes that can be easily feasted on [by Jack Dempsey]. So my 75g tank is approaching the time for when i can begin to add fish, and i'm trying to figure out a good set of fish to have. It naturally inhabits warm, sluggish waters, feeding on worms, crustaceans, insects and fish. You might also like our post on aquarium sumps and refugiums which you can find here. My Jacks are alone in a tank as they are a pair. Species: R. octofasciata So I today I purchased a pair of tanks, 80 gal and 90 gal, for $100. Not only due electric blue Dempsey fish look super cool, but they can also get quite large. Tank mates generally need to be a similar size with the same aggressive temperament. As adults, Jack Dempsey cichlids will be between 8 and 12 inches long. Let’s go over some of the most crucial jack Dempsey fish care tips right now so you can keep your cool looking fish happy and healthy. JavaScript is disabled. lets start with some basics a Jack is a lot harder to sex then most cichlids but if you know what your doing its a breeze. They’re in the cichlid family which includes over 1,500 species including angelfish, African cichlids and discus. As the small fish like tetras or rasboras can be eaten by the Jack Dempsey quite easily. Now, there are various kinds of goldfish, not all of which are ideal to keep with a Jack Dempsey Cichlid. I'm a littler overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of cichlid breeds, as well as how careful you have to be with setting up compatible tank mates. Jack Dempsey Cichlids have been inter-bred in captivity for many years and breeders have produced some stunning specimens. Dang! Unless you want them to end up as a meal, don’t place peaceful fish, such as tetras, or invertebrates, such as freshwater snailsand shrimp, in the same tank as J… Bearing in mind that the Jack Dempsey fish is a predatory species when attempting to select tank mates for them, you will have to look away from relatively small(er) fishes that can be easily feasted on [by Jack Dempsey]. The Jack Dempsey fish is not an easy fish to keep in your tank. Jacks are named after world heavyweight boxing champion (1919-1926) Jack Dempsey. We have also covered a detailed Goldfish care guide here. February 27, 2020 February 27, 2020 by Richard Rowlands Jack Dempseys, more commonly referred to as Rocio octofasciata, are a tropical climate fish found in murky waters . These guys are really peaceful, so they won’t cause a problem for your Jack Dempsey Cichlid, and their size means that the Jack Dempsey Cichlid won’t bother them. Jack Dempsey cichlids are an aggressive species of fish that needs plenty of territory. This is a very peaceful fish that will definitely not attack the Jack Dempsey Cichlid. If smaller fish become tankmates in the aquarium, then a blue Dempsey will be happy to arrange a hunting game for itself. So if you feel up to the task and have the room, it’s worth it. Jacks can also attack each other. This video is a care guide and species profile on the Jack Dempsey. A clean, pristine tank is what makes us tick. I know I want a JD in one of them, and I was wondering what tank mates I could do in the 90 gallon with it. Jacks are named after world heavyweight boxing champion (1919-1926) Jack Dempsey. Would I be better off with more aggressive fish? A Jack Dempsey would need a tank of at least 55 gallon (208.20 litres, 45.80 Imperial gallons) and a bigger one for more. Get the newsletter for bi-weekly updates on news & events in the Aquascaping world. The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey cichlid Rocio octofasciata cf. Their gold and black stripes are really nice to look at. Jack Dempsey fish, if you have a male and a female, and the tank conditions are right, can breed fairly often. They should be safe with the Jack Dempsey while cleaning up after him. The clown loach can be kept on its own or in small groups too. Also, females tend to have brighter coloration and cooler patterns. Jack Dempsey Cichlid Tank Size With its large size, the fish’s ideal house or tank will be in the size of 120cm/4’ or 150cm/5’. 2. On that same note, goldfish are pretty peaceful, so they won’t disturb your Jack Dempsey Cichlids either. Tank mates for Jack Dempsey fish. They will attack and harass tank mates that are smaller or try to eat them. They do best in schools of 4 or 6, which you will have to keep in mind. (live bears like swordtails and mollies, and Rhamdia catfish) If you had two females it might work, or if you have a compatible pair, but the getting a compatible pair is the rub. They like more or less the same foods and the same water parameters, so that is no issue. Jack Dempsey fish do not like bright light, so a dim light will do fine. The size of the community tank must be appropriate for the number of Species being kept s… Some are unusually aggressive, while others are exceedingly passive. Like many Cichlids, it will burrow and rearrange your substrate. But, given the right setup, it can be a good tank mate if kept with similar cichlids. The Jack Dempsey fish is not an easy fish to keep in your tank. Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Tank Mates. In fact, with bright lights, they tend to hide. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month and more! They are slightly smaller than the common Jack Dempsey, which can grow to 15 inches in length. Other shy and timid fish like goldfish can be easily bullied. Only house your Jack Dempsey with fish that are similar in size and aggression. Finding the right and ideal tank mates for Jack Dempseys’ plays an important role when it comes to when you plan to acquire this fish in your aquarium. , or maybe a pair of jack dempseys ? And, you could yet keep a group of 3 – 4 Jack Dempseys in the same tank. They will attack and harass tank mates that are smaller or try to eat them. I have a 40 gal tank and one Jack Dempsey, I want to put something else in there because one of my JDs killed the other one. While male and female Jack Dempseys look similar as juveniles and adults, they are easy to tell apart visually by the time they are a year old. Temperature range: … However, getting to see two fish working together to raise their fry is a unique experience. Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae 7. I want a Jack Dempsey and think they could go in a 55 with a few pictus cats. Jack Dempsey fish overview. The Oscar fish is a type of cichlid, so it’s important to talk about Jack Dempsey cichlid compatibility. This is my favorite food for my Electric Blue Jack Dempsey. There are smaller goldfish, such as the fancy goldfish which is not ideal to have together with a Jack Dempsey Cichlid. N. NthPvttucker Feeder Fish. Care level: Easy (great for beginners) Max size of fish: 3 inches. My Jack Dempsey Fish Is Attacking Its Tank Mates. Our Top 10 Best Jack Dempsey Cichlid Tank Mates. These fish can easily grow to 8 inches, or around 20 cm in length. Now that we have talked about the Jack Dempsey Cichlid, let’s talk about some ideal tank mates for them. Check out the FishForums.net Monthly These guys are fairly easy to take care of. Genus: Rocio 8. Vote Now - January 2021 Pet of the Month contest, Tank of the Month, Author Note: This means picking tank mates can be a little bit trickier because you can’t rely on them to stay in one part of the tank. But this doesn’t mean that they cannot coexist with other tank species like the Oscar fish, but it simply means that they should be kept by experienced tank keepers and people who know what they are doing. The angelfish can be a teeny bit aggressive when it comes their territory, but if you house them with a Jack Dempsey Cichlid in a really big tank, there should be no issues. Jack Dempsey By OutlierForLife (Flickr) The aggressive nature of Jack Dempseys can be quite restrictive when looking for tank mates, but that does not mean there aren’t some good options out there. However, the cave tetra is a fairly rare tetra species, one of the only ones that can grow close to 5 inches in length. These guys are very colorful and will add a lot of beauty into the mix of things. More or less, if you want to have these fish together, they need a whole lot of space so they don’t get territorial with each other. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The most important thing to consider is the size of the other fish when compared to the Jack Dempsey Cichlid. Tank mates? Jack Dempsey fish tank mates can be Oscars, firemouth cichlids, kissing gourami, koi, angelfish, cave tetras and green terror. I am hoping to come across one of the Electric Blue varieties. Family: Cichlidae 6. | Privacy Policy | Terms of use, covered a detailed Goldfish care guide here, the different types of Angelfish on this article), How to Hatch Brine Shrimp Eggs Without Air Pump, Why is Aquarium Driftwood So Expensive? The big size of the goldfish will keep the Jack Dempsey Cichlid from attacking it. Jack Dempsey fish males reach a larger size than females. They can get quite evil when they spawn. reply #7. So, as long as you have enough room, you can easily keep males and females together. This type of catfish is an omnivore and will eat pretty much everything and anything. If both Convicts are male that … Moreover, the pleco is extremely friendly as well, so there is no problem there. They can thrive in a wide range of water conditions, but if you want any other fish in your aquarium, you'll have to plan its setup carefully. Jack Dempsey fish overview. The fish i want the most is an Electric Blue Jack Dempsey. Hop on the list to get them when we start sendin'. So my 75g tank is approaching the time for when i can begin to add fish, and i'm trying to figure out a good set of fish to have. Jack Dempsey fish tank mates can be Oscars, firemouth cichlids, kissing gourami, koi, angelfish, cave tetras and green terror. They’re in the cichlid family which includes over 1,500 species including angelfish, African cichlids and discus. The ultimate care guide for Betta Fish, everything you need to know and more! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Ive got a 29 gallon set up with one small juvenile Jack Dempsey and a medium size pleco. A 55-gallon will only just cut it, and many would say that even that is not large enough, that a 90-gallon is needed. However, a regular old goldfish, like a koi, is good to house with a Jack Dempsey Cichlid because they can grow up to 14 inches in length. We are a family friendly community with an incredible resource of information for fish owners and enthusiast alike. The Jack Dempsey naturally occurs in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, although it has been introduced — or escaped — to other areas with year-round warm climates. Fish tank mates?? (As well as discounts & coupons on stuff you already buy.). The cichlids do not destroy live plants and they thrive with a sandy substrate. Joined Jul 27, 2013 Messages 31 Reaction score 0 Location US. It is recommended that the Jack Dempsey cichlid is provided with plenty of places to hide. They are not picky eaters, so that is not a problem either. The Jack Dempsey Cichlid is fairly aggressive and likes to pick on smaller fish. The most important thing to consider is the size of the other fish when compared to the Jack Dempsey Cichlid. Jack Dempsey cichlids can often appear shy, hiding away in cave work. They grow really slowly after the first 2 years, and will usually continue growing until they die. It’s also best to have only one male per tank to avoid aggressive territorial behavior. The smaller the tank, the more fish, the more the Jack Dempsey fish will feel cramped. Each Jack Dempsey fish requires roughly 55 gallons of water, so you do need a fairly large tank for these guys. If you will be keeping a pair of this species, a 100-gallon tank will give them enough room with plenty of spaces to hide and swim. Jack Dempsey fish is native to Central America Atlantic hillsid… If you only have limited space to keep all of your fish so that you need to keep Jack Dempsey and other fishes together, it is advisable for you to keep the fishes in large groups instead of in pairs. Colors variations include red, white, pink, orange and a mixture of these colors. Get a Big Tank. Moreover, the angelfish can grow to be around 6 inches in length, so the Jack Dempsey Cichlid is not going to mess with it or try to eat it (we have covered the different types of Angelfish on this article). Most people would recommend keeping them with a multitude of fish mates, and to keep them in a tank of no less than 100 gallons. Anubias , Java Fern, and Vallisneria provide great hiding cover for them and root deep into the substrate. maybe some kind of pleco or catfish ? Space is important to fish, and being crowded only increases aggression amongst already aggressive cichlids. Jack Dempsey Tank Mates? 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