Electric Blue Dempseys

[Mackie]

As i have just got back into fish (cichlid) keeping about 7-8 months ago and only just started using the internet last month i have only just came across the Electric Blue Dempsey. I kind of fancy getting one but would like to know if they are hybrids. I've seen on other forums opinions both for and against the fact that they are and a couple of folk say they even have breeding pairs which would be impossible if they were. Does anybody here know?

 

[cichlidmaster]

Glad someone finally asked...

They are NOT hybrids. I spoke with Jeff Rapps of Tangled Up In Cichlids, who by the way is the ONLY importer of these fish....

Anyway the scope is a breeder Jeff knows from somewhere in Europe (I think) had a spawn from a regular pair of dempsey's.

When the fry started to put on some size, the breeder observed some discrepincies in a few of the fry so he seperated them.

As these fry grew he observed the differences from the regular dempsey.

To cut to the chase...the blue dempsey is due to a recessive gene that for some reason surfaced and gave us the blue dempsey.

Now I know this is far from a glowing recount of my talk with Jeff. If anyone wishes I would be willing to contact him again and get the full story a second time.

This was over a year ago that this information was passed on to me.

Here is a link to Jeff's site. He is a renouned breeder of S./C American cichlids and in my opinion an authority on them as well.

Jeff Rapps

 

[Mackie]

That's what i was hoping to hear as i was actually thinking about getting some money together to buy some from him as he is the only person who i have found with them on his list. It's a pitty that it's a minimum of $250 for exporting them though as my bank balance is not to impressive at this moment. Suppose i'll have to save.

Cheers CM

 

[semper fi]

jeff rapp is THE only exporter of the blue dempsey. you can have breeding pairs and they are not hybrids. have researched them thoroughly and as soon as he gets some of them in going to have cm get some for me heehee. they are the result of a recessive gene and are bred for their colors. when the parents with both of the recessive gene are bred together the fry also express this recessive gene. there are also wild caught blues. i beleive it is every third generation that is bred back with a wild to retain the gene in the fry. after the third generation the gene starts to weaken and has to be replenished.

if you email jeff with any questions about the blues he is very good about answering any and all questions. maybe you could find an lfs in your area that would be willing to order the quantity required and get you some of the blues at a reasonable price.

maggie

 

[Mackie]

Well, one of my friends owns his own shop and i've been on at him to get them Says he's had them in before but doesn't know when he'll be able to get them again. I've tried a few shops but they don't have any on there lists either. Jeff may be my only option.

 

[semper fi]

jeff is about your only reliable option. if they have them on their list more than likely they are getting them from someone who is ordering them from jeff. ask them to contact jeff and see what he has available. he has other fish also, so if they are only wanting to get a few, they could easily fill an order to cover his minimum.

hth

maggie

 

[Mackie]

I'll have a word with him and see what he says.
Thanks for the info

 

[bifaciatus]

If Anyone of you are in Houston, Texas, I just saw a shop selling the Electric Blue Dempseys. Not very expensive for a 4 incher. also have a bunch of 3 inch.

also have a lot of rare S/C American cichlids too...

Too bad I don't have any space left in my tank....

Anyway, this is the store's website.

Global Fish