Blue Dempseys - hard to keep ?

[fsc46]

I tried 3 with no success. I believe I would have had better luck if I kept them in a community tank. From what I have been told, they are not nearly as hardy as a regular JD, don't grow as big and grow very slow. I kept mine with a parrot,blue acara and a datnoid and apparently they stressed out the dempseyenough to make it die.Though, I never saw any of them be aggressive towards the dempsey. Don't bother unless you have a community tank and have $$$ to experiment with(or buy from a store with a 7 day return policy)

Hey man I got mine right after you and mine are doing well. I put them in a tank with others and lost one. Then I got rid of the others and they did fine. I still have 3 out of 4 and they are doing well. I think you should try them agian in a cycled tank by themselves. I lost the little one early on because he was a fraid to come out and eat. I thought when he was hungry enough he would come out. That mistake cost me $35 bucks.

BTW I agree with PeacockBass.

 

[Nate_N_Nicole]

Sweet blue

 

[redtailfool]

It is right to say they are a little less agressive, and more prone to diseases and parasites than the regular strain. They do grow slow, but they are not smaller than the regular dempseys. You might have seen mine on the forums as I have posted pics before. He is closing on 10", very nice fish...and my favorite of all my tanks. His name is "Maurice" and he is about 2 years old...

I dont see a lot of 10 " Blue Demps .

 

[gomezladdams]

They are beautiful fish but fragile and expensive dont know if I would buy one

 

[Mourinho18]

rapps has some smaller ones for 15 dollars. I'm gonna take the plunge

 

[fsc46]

Benfica540, spend the money for the larger ones. they are more confident and will hold their own better. unless of course you put them in a tank by themselves. I have 2 small ones and it's painful to watch them grow. the larger one (3-4") looks just like the little guys but isn't afraid of the other fish in the tank.

 

[BiggaFish]

OK, I've been away from SAs for a long time (other than my few angelfish), and didn't know there was anything other than a regular Dempsey. Can someone point me to more info? Are they the same species, just a geogrphic variation? A hybrid, or a total captive-breeding construct? People are saying less aggressive; can I put them with my tinfoil barbs (7-8") and rainbows?

Probably a dumb question, I'm just curious...

 

[JnASabo]

Rainbows I would say yes tinfoils I'm not sure about. They are the same species, not a hybrid (allthough some believe they are). To my knowledge they have only been found through captive breeding.

 

[Mourinho18]

Don't put them in with tinfoil barbs. I have mine in with barbs, and they're very skittish and virtual endless eating machines. I have to really really overfeed which I hate doing just so the dempsey can get some food. Stupid barbs.

 

[BostonPatriot]

Hey man I got mine right after you and mine are doing well. I put them in a tank with others and lost one. Then I got rid of the others and they did fine. I still have 3 out of 4 and they are doing well. I think you should try them agian in a cycled tank by themselves. I lost the little one early on because he was a fraid to come out and eat. I thought when he was hungry enough he would come out. That mistake cost me $35 bucks.

BTW I agree with PeacockBass.

Yeah maybe down the road no room now. I just bought little amazing looking Royal Green Terror that I am using the room in the tank to grow out now.
I don't really have space for a second tank and if I put one of those Blue Dempseys in with the fish I have now it will just be another 50 dollar mistake.