Jack Dempsy Talk

[Aquaparadise]

I recently purchased a Jack Dempsey, it is living with a plecostamus and is doing well. My question is what kind of water conditions should I make/prevent. Also I am wondering how quickly they grow. I have had Oscars before, but have never had any other south american cichlids.

 

[aloys]

I don't think they grow quite as fast Oscars do.....

are JD's really aggressive? If I put a baby male JD in a 75 gallon community tank, with 4 gouramis, 6 silver dollars, a RTBS, a couple cory's, and around 8 other barbs would it eventually kill everything? I understand it will probably eventually eat the really small fish he can fit in his mouth, but the gouramis and silver dollars are already big enough that i dont think he will be able to swallow them.

So basically could i put a JD in a tank and have him live peacfully with some gouramis and silver dollars?

 

[minxfishy]

Water conditions should be as for any other fish, 0 ammonia, nitrIte and low as poss nitrAtes, they dont require any specific water conditions, ph 6-8, preferably around 7-7.6. JD's are aggressive fish (hence the name), they grow reasonably quickly, although I dont believe as quick as say you mentioned an Oscar.

They do require a fairly large tank, 55g min (I think is the recommeded without looking it up), I would avoid any small fish as they will see them as food once they are able to fit them in their mouths. What size tank OP and what other fish do you have him with?

@aloys, I would imagine the gourami will be ok and the silver dollars definately will be fine. Your issue may come with the RTBS, who themselves can be aggressive fish, especially as they mature.

 

[Aquaparadise]

I temporarly do not have my Jack Dempsey it got sucked up into my filter and died. Petsmart has a 14 day return on dead fish. I am getting another dempsey tomorrow. right now my tank is empty but tomorrow it will not be.

 

[ox5477]

Like most other cichlid species, they will grow to about 3/4 of their full adult size in the first year (though some grow faster and some slower). Since an adult male JD can reach 8", and a female 6", you can figure for a JD to reach roughly 4.5-5" in the first year Fed a diet of primarly cichlid pellets, with meaty treats of jumbo mysid shrimp and krill, and veggies including algae wafers and shelled peas, your jd should growth healthy and strong.

A min for a single jd with no other tank occupants is 45G. adding community fish would obv require more water to dilute dissolved waste. To add more cichlids, depending on what species it is, the extra space needed varies. I keep my JD in a 125USG tank with 6 silver dollars, 6 giant danios, 2 green severums and a common plec.