JACK DEMPSEY

[xamdarb]

can i house them with a convict? i think im going too give my tiger barbs and guarami to a freind so could they be housed in a 40 g with a convict....i read on the net that they can be housed with other agressive cichlids and could they live with the guarami or will they tear him apart....are they expensive???

 

[loachylover]

Hi xamdarb

A Jack Dempsey in my a very aggressive cichlid, your gourami would not stand a chance. I have never kept convicts before but in a 40G there would be a good chance of teritorial disputes. Price wise a small JD in the uk costs around £2.50 - £3.00. I bought a baby JD about 2 months ago it was only about 1.5 " and even at that size it was terrorising my Black Ghost Knife (6") and a Geophagus (5") so i would not like to think the damage a larger JD would do, i swiftly took my JD back. it all depends on what the nature of the fish is really, you could be lucky and get a JD that will tolerate tank mates like convicts or you could end up with a JD that will not tolerate any other fish in the tank thus a dead convict.

My opinion is keep a single JD on its own. As a 40G is about the bare minimum for a JD

 

[Insomniac]

I bought a Dempsey not that long ago, and it attempted to rip out my (much larger) parrot fish's eyes. I took it back.

Don't do it! Your tank is to small for another cichlid that is compatible with a convict. Even another convict wouldn't be compatible in that tank. As it gets older, and develops its territory, I bet you're going to find a severley mangled gourami too. I've never lost a tiger barb to them though.

 

[GirlinWayside]

I had a Jack Dempsey for 7-8 years - he was the last big cichlid I had. I actually started out with one Jack and two convicts (that was what the pet store sold me) in a 55 gallon tank. They started out OK - I ended up getting rid of the convicts - it was too much on either fish. they are both agressive types and I personally do not reccomend housing them together - especially in such a small tank

 

[xamdarb]

from what i read it told me to only house the dempseys with other medium to large sized cichlids but oh ya and i also said i think im getting rid of my barbs and the guarami if i get one so those would not be a prob

 

[Insomniac]

A 33 gallon is to small for even JUST the Jack Dempsey. They're large, messy fish. Just get another convict, and be done with it. Don't get into the larger fish until you're ready.

 

[juanveldez]

llike I have said a million times before if all your going to do is the JD in the tank then by all means go ahead. it won't be supper happy but it will be fine. my JD only has half of a 55 but he has a mate on the other side of the divder is his GF a female Green Terror. so he is very happy to sit there and keep a close eye on her.