These types like to burrow, so make sure that their tank has a lot of fine, deep sand. Jack Dempsey fish are a popular kind of tropical freshwater fish. Since becoming aquarium-kept fish in recent years, different color variations have been captive-bred. The Jack Dempsey is an omnivorous fish species, thus should be fed a variety of foods including both meaty and vegetable based foods. When preparing tank you should foresee the presence of some nookeries in it. Keep in mind, though, that this can change overnight depending on their mood. The fish may be also encountered in Guatemala, Belize region. When the water temperature becomes lower than 24 °C (75,2 F) the fish tends to stay close to the heater. Iris is gray with some bronzy tint. Sergey is a founder and author of Meethepet.com. They will first chew up the food and then release it into the young’s mouth for consumption. Tank size capacity should start from 100 liters (26,42 gallons) for a couple of adult fish. If you can control them properly, you can maintain a beautiful tank of Jack Dempsey fish. Shallow rivers with clean water and small spring-fed lakes are the biotopes more common for this fish. And if there’s no substrate in a tank, but there are some plants in pots – these will also do for the fish. The most famous and sought after is the brilliant Electric Blue Jack Dempsey. However, through the years he’s had experience of keeping almost all types of freshwater fish and shrimps. 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. You get a bag of about 100 minnows. Rocio octofasciata is a middle-sized Cichlasoma species. But steer clear of beef and poultry, as this type of meat can be harmful to your cichlid. However, this species may be also encountered in low flow and even slough waters, which quite often have soft muddy bottom. The larvae start feeding on their own about 4 days later. Jack Dempsey cichlid is native to Central America Atlantic hillside waters. Jack Dempsey cichlids can often appear shy, hiding away in cave work. These are typically found on their dorsal fin and gill cover. They are a smaller, less hostile, and all-around friendlier fish when compared to standard Jack Dempseys. The Jack Dempsey is a medium-to-large fish, which grows to a maximum of an adult size of 10″, but the range is 8-10″, (20-25 cm). 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. In spacious tanks cichlid doesn’t show such an aggression, like they may do in small capacity tanks, therefore you can keep the fish together with other equal-sized cichlid species (convict cichlid, firemouth cichlid, blue acara, green terror). Thanks to @jeans_zoo on Instagram for this Photo of … AFC is a gathering place for everyone. There also may be several such pits. My name is Richard Rowlands. Rocio octofasciata, earlier called Cichlasoma octofasciatum) is a widely spread tank fish within North and Central America. Jack Dempseys are one of the easiest in their order to get to procreate. Moreover, Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE) is another common disease that is the result of poor tank maintenance. Floating plants are recommended; just make sure that it adequately blocks light. Size of Jack Dempsey Fish One of the largest Cichlids in the wild, the Jack Dempsey fish can grow up to 8-10” (20-25 cm). Standard breeds will usually cost around five to 10 bucks. Cichlids do better when provided with plenty of space and compatible fish with which to swim. The coloration changes as the fish matures from a light gray or tan with light turquoise flecks to a dark purple-gray with very bright, iridescent flecks of blue, green and gold. They are colorful and active, but … Jack Dempsey Fish – A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts) Read More » But should they change their mind, they may deliberately destroy it. But the Electric Blue and Electric Pink variations do not grow as large and are not as ornery, so they are better aquarium fish in most cases. But again, if kept in pairs they can even eat their own spawn if their mood changes. It’s better to get separate tank for fish spawning. Also keep in mind that this fish doesn’t like bright light and it’s more active during half-light period. Feed the fish once a day to avoid overfeeding. They are smaller in the wild than they are in the home aquarium They have a lifespan of 10-15 years. Once hatched, the parental Jack Dempseys will feed their fry as a mother bird does with her young. It’s quite peculiar for cichlid to take care of their juveniles, so you won’t need to perform any special actions like taking away ill eggs from the spawn or installing aeration near the nest. They are easy to find in pet stores and are highly affordable fish. A quick video of how to care for Jack Dempsey cichlid fish with tips on breeding, diet, aggression, size, and tank mates. Jack Dempsey ( Cichlasoma octofasciatum ) This fish is named after the former heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey. Currently I have 1 large male with a Red Devil Cichlid of the same size, a Deboise about 4", 2 Jewels about 3" and some cats in a 120 gallon tank. They gravitate to areas that have lots of weeds, along with sandy or muddy floors. When buying juveniles keep in mind that at the age of about 3-4 month the female is quite often larger than the male one. This can result from a simple change in their habitat and surrounding. At the same time, you’ll need to leave plenty of room for your fish to swim. Jack Dempseys are quick to claim territories. With its large size, the fish’s ideal house or tank will be in the size of 120cm/4’ or 150cm/5’. Feeding is simple for the unfussy Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Cichlid. It inhabits all around from the Ulua river (Honduras) to the Papaloapan river (South of Mexico). If you are going to keep them in groups, ensure that you have plenty of crevices for each one to inhabit. A lone Jack Dempsey can be kept in a 30-… Jack Dempsey cichlid perform pare spawning on a substrate. This will assure that your fish and other aquatic creatures live a long and healthy life while in your care. As its name suggests, the Jack Dempsey cichlid exhibits the large facial features and aggressive behavior of the famous boxer. Keeping fish is a rewarding hobby, and fish need less care than other types of pets. Young Jack Dempsey fish can actually inhabit in tank water polluted with nitrogen compounds, however, very few of the fish live to the age of 4 years old. Nowadays, all these can be reached by means of strong biofiltration and regular water renew. Since they are prone to changing, you can’t expect your new purchase to remain in its current state. They have an oval shape and is one of the most beautiful fish out there. When they are under stress, their colors will change dramatically. You can put them with other fish if you go with a large enough tank. This fish is always very interested in the outside world; he likes to follow you from each side of his 55 gallon tank to the other to see what you were doing. Proper tank maintenance and precautionary measures go a long way. Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae 7. The fish’s thin body shape is characteristic of cichlids and other species of carnivorous, predatory fish. Jack Dempseys are native to Central America, Guatemala, Honduras, North America, and Yucatan. If you have a catfish in the tank together with couple, it’s advisable to take the catfish away from the tank for a while, since it may eat the spawn or become the reason of fish fights. As fish that like to stay busy, you can expect a lot of activity in your tank. If spawning is desired, tankmates of other species should be kept to a minimum or avoided altogether. In the real life this is the reason for conflicts. AquariumFishCity.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If you plan on keeping more fish, an increase in tank size is a must. You shouldn’t keep with any small fishes, since they’ll be eventually eaten, though fish isn’t a complete predator. If the dominating female shows aggression and tries to hustle away other female, it’s better to take her away from the tank, because there are high chances that the male will have to choose her. Above: a Jack Dempsey Fish for sale in our online store. But once they get settled into their permanent home, your Jack Dempseys can enjoy a long and comfortable life. In this picture he was in a very good mood. Body coloring is olive-drab and when the fish is angry or during its spawning period it gets much darker and becomes almost black. The body is almost all covered with sparklets. Morphology. If you wish to keep more than one Jack Dempsey, do so in large groups; never keep them in pairs. Although both sexes feature long fins and large oval, muscular bodies ranging in size from 10 to 15 inches, the more brightly-colored males sport longer bodies and even longer fins with pointed tips. Jack Dempsey cichlid (lat. -Feeding large game fish is easy now, they sell frozen minnows at some gas stations near fishing spots for about $3! One reason Jack Dempseys are so popular is that they come in a wide rang… When they become aggressive their coloring gets darker, then the female juveniles have. If spawning is desired, tankmates of other species should be kept to a minimum or avoided altogether. Using a gravel cleaner will help exponentially during the cleaning process. Kingdom: Animalia 2. Male Jack Dempseys usually have a lot more spots than their female counterparts. Named after the famed American World Heavyweight Champion boxer, these fish belong to the cichlid order. The information, content and material contained on the site is intended to be of a general nature only and is not intended to constitute professional/medical advice. They have personalities that lend to some spectacular observations. These fish feed often, so you’ll need to provide flakes and pellets several times a day. 1. Order: Perciformes 5. Red Tail Shark Complete Care Guide: Is This Fish Right For Your Tank? However, the main warning when keeping in a decorated tank is the fish “vandalism” towards any tank plants. Male size is up to 21 cm long (8.27 inch), the female is up to 17 cm long (6.69 inch). They will pick on fish that are significantly smaller than them. Feeding is simple for the unfussy Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Cichlid. The Jack Dempsey fish will grow to between 10 to 15 inches in size. Their colors are astonishing to watch change over time. The fish do everything on their own. In comparison with classical fish, blue morf has bright cyan coloring, it has smaller body and it is less aggressive. When born, they start out as a light gray or tan color with turquoise flecks. As a majority of Central America cichlids this fish doesn’t have any special requirements as for the tank conditions. Phylum: Chordata 3. Electric Blue Jack Dempsey fish live in pairs that form at an early age. Usually, The Jack Dempsey fish can reach a length of up to 10-15 inches. Jack Dempseys are also able to acquire parasites like worms and protozoa. Specifically, the South American Cichlid. His favorite aquariums are biotopes (Amazon River),  with Echinodorus and Angelfish. There are some eyespots on the body sides and tail, which are rather clearly seen on juvenile’s body and barely seen on the adult body. They all look great, no fin nipping and only minor territory chasing. Jack Dempseys live among temperatures as high as 86 °F in the wild. They are a rather moody fish, which serves to make them moderately difficult in their care. They may like it at first. The dorsal is red-edged. You’ll need to move them around accordingly. They are a blast to watch burrow into the sand or hide inside of cave-like decorations. Also to that point, any plant-life that you put in the tank will need to be in pots, elsewise the fish may dig them up. From: Tom I have had Jack Dempseys since I was a kid. Color varies wildly among their species. Welcome. Shrimps, snails, and even crabs run the risk of harm, so be sure to separate them if you keep these kinds together during the cichlid’s youth. Any kind of sunken ship, castle, or log will do as long as there are several holes for your fish to hide inside. Learning about Jack Dempsey Fish Care can help your fish. Female jack Dempsey size. When they are juvenile, they can be only 2-3 inches in size, which might mislead some fish owners, especially beginners. Keeping the couple for 3-6 month together and then for 1.5-3 month or more apart, is considered to be ok if you keep couple in a small tank (in a big tank the female just swims to its other side and usually the male doesn’t chase her). Before you commit to Jack Dempseys you need to be sure that you have the capacity to keep them. Therefore, if there’s no other fish in the spawning tank – there’s no need to protect it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Start feed for them may be the following: brine shrimp nauplii or some artificial feed. Jack Dempsey Fish Size Your Jack Dempsey fish will grow between 10-15 inches, with females growing a little shorter. Commonly referred to as “hole-in-the-head disease”, this occurs when fish aren’t receiving the proper vitamins. As such, Jack Dempseys typically stay in waters of a temperature of 72-86 °F (22-30 °C). You will want to emulate their natural setting as closely as you can. The eggs grow for 3-6 days (depending on the temperature and other parameters). With proper care, the life expectancy of Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is 10 years. Discerning between sexes is simple. Other pollutants can develop when the water gets too hard from evaporation. If this happens, you should immediately take the female away from the tank. The fish that has become naturalized in the USA quite often inhabits in plant-filled channels and water furrows with muddy or sandy bottom. However, in the wild the male isn’t more than 12-15 cm long (4,72-5,91 inch). 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