Baby Gold Jd Help Needed

[star4]

I know I have had him only 3 days, but the poor little chap seems to be really stressed still. He is eating fine and swims up and down the tank like a loony. Yesterday he lost most of his black banding, but its all back again today If I go near the tank he shoots under the filter and hides. In the shop he was in with another gold JD that was a real bully (when I actually went back to the shop the one I picked was lying on his side on the surface hiding from the other one). He has plastic plants and the filter to hide under, just wondering how else I can make him feel more comfortable

 

[Davo86]

What size is it star? and is he in a tank on his own? Personally i think for the most part Dither fish are vital when keeping species like JDs which are naturally shy and timid when young, IME they are totally the opposite to the likes of Severums which are confident and outgoing from day one. My JD for example is now a bulky 5-6" and still runs for cover when anyone is around


I'd probably leave the tank light off for the time being,

 

[roadmaster]

I know I have had him only 3 days, but the poor little chap seems to be really stressed still. He is eating fine and swims up and down the tank like a loony. Yesterday he lost most of his black banding, but its all back again today If I go near the tank he shoots under the filter and hides. In the shop he was in with another gold JD that was a real bully (when I actually went back to the shop the one I picked was lying on his side on the surface hiding from the other one). He has plastic plants and the filter to hide under, just wondering how else I can make him feel more comfortable

I have an Electric Blue Dempsey that as a juvenile was quite shy.I placed some large pieces of driftwood in the tank and also placed some floating plants above to subdue the lighting.
Plants could be real or artificial.
This seemed to help .

 

[star4]

Hi Dave & Roadmaster he is just (and I mean just including tail ) 3", he is in my quaranteen tank at the moment, just narutal light, no overhead lighting and on his own. I will blank off part of the tank I think make one end a little darker, see if that helps. I have plenty of rock & plants I could add. I have some juvi Rotkeils around his size I wonder if a couple of them in the tank may help!

 

[minxfishy]

I think adding some of the rotties may well help a bit, give him more confidence to have something swimming around and lets face it, those rotties are super confident

 

[star4]

Will do

 

[hamfist]

I agree, I think he will probably benefit enormously from some company.

 

[star4]

tried 6 rotties and he went for them all I did choose smallish ones around his size.
I have a couple of spare small blue acara, I may give them a try tomorrow when I cant watch whats happening, they might stand up to him better.

 

[Verminator89]

Dithers are vital with dempseys. They are so shy its unreal. Something active and quite speedy often helps when you have a slightly nippy JD. Mine was fine with rummynose tetras when he was young, but they were there before him and he was dinky when i got him. If i add them now i think he would eat them being nearly 8", i keep him with 3 female Boesemani's currently and he is fine.

Mine has become quite confident now. Hes currently swimming into the nearest corner of his tank about a foot away from me swimming directly at the glass shaking his head at me Feeding time me thinks.

You could try something like Praecox rainbows for your dempsey as a dither. Or if hatchets can be used to go effect as they remain high up. Failing that just put a few bigger rotties in with him, something he can't boss about. Dempseys will more often than not fall into line lower in the pecking order with bigger fish. Only the biggest and badest dempseys will rule a tank, most are wimps Like my boy.

 

[roadmaster]

I believe the hatchets would be expensive snacks for the Dempsey as it grows larger . Ditto for rainbows.
Would try floating plants either real or artificial, with some large pieces of driftwood ,and smooth river stones to help the fish settle in. As you have noted ,the fish is still new. DithersWILL eventually become targets (snacks).
Do not agree with those who believe that most Dempsey's are passive or "wimps" having cared for more than a few since my grade school days. Nor would I count on them falling to the lower rungs in a tank with other cichlids larger,,or smaller.
This is the kind of information that often leads those unfamiliar with this fish to purchase one in hopes of it becoming a good community fish and they are often rewarded for this line of thinking with dead tank mates.
The Jack Dempsey has a well deserved reputation among aggressive cichlids.IMHO

 

[star4]

Happy to say Patrick (my little un named him ) the gold *cough yeah right* JD has been moved in with my blue acara and he is much much happier, not hiding all the time. However he now has brilliant blue around his gills, cute blue moustach and black banding down his back with a vivid red stripe on the top of his dorsal fin! with lots of blue specles in his fins and across his face. Bit dissapointed he is not a gold JD.

BTW he wont be living with the BA permenantly, just till he gets bigger

 

[Verminator89]

Was sceptical about him being a Gold Jack. I've never heard/seen of a such a JD. I may be young and realtively inexperienced in terms of years with JDs, but i'm avid with them, and i'm yet to see one. Has to be a colour morph, can't be natural, can it?


Is a camera on your christmas list lesley Haha

 

[star4]

They are like rocking horse poo! a friend of mine has 2, this link (keep scrolling down) has a pic of a gold jd

http/aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid,%20Jack%20Dempsey.htm


Mine looks more like this one http/www.aqua-fish.net/imgs/fish3/jack-dempsey-cichlid-3.jpg

grrr I so wish I had a camera

Sorry I just cant get the first link to work!!!

 

[kaivalagi]

Here you go: http/aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid,%20Jack%20Dempsey.htm

 

[star4]

Cheers , if copy and paste doesnt work I give up