Dempsey ? I have a TON of baby dempseys!!

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acea091489

acea091489

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jul 13, 2008
288
2
18
East Coast
I found about 300-500 baby dempseys swimming around in holes in the gravel. I was wondering at what age should you sep. the fry from the parents, and also how often does a jack dempsey pair spawn. This was their first batch,so far all is perfect with the fry. The parents are guarding them very very well even though their are no other fish in the tank. Any info, on how to raise the fry and how often the will spawn!! I really need advice!! The male is 5", and the female is 3". Thanks,

I will put up a pic tomm. of the parents along with the babies.
 
dont really know how often they spawn but i would seperate them at about 3weeks and they will be fine
 
congrats man, your a grandpa:woot:
 
awesome, congrats.

wait a month to separate the parents, don't remove all the babies, because the male will try to spawn again, the female needs some rest.
 
I sometimes remove Dempsey fry on their first day freeswimming… and I sometimes let them grow up for a couple weeks…

When I let them grow up with the parents… I find they have a faster growth rate than when I raise them in a fry tank… Many more die off in the first month than when I raise them in a fry tank... When the parents get ready to spawn again they “chase off” the older fry and kill whatever doesn’t leave (in an aquarium there is nowhere for them to go). I’ve had a pair go from good parents to killing all their older fry and laying fresh eggs in a matter of hours.

If you separate the fry from the parents then you have to assume some of the responsibilities that the parents used to do. Primarily is giving them a food source they can eat & second is keeping the tank clean. My baby Dempseys thrive on live hatched baby brine shrimp & other live foods… and survive on commercial foods…

I typically remove the fry from the parents very quickly (first few days free swimming) as a fast growth rate is not my goal… pumping them full of the highest quality food as soon as possible is… But sine your just keeping Cichlids and not trying to be a breeder… do whatever keeps your hobby the most fun. Expect most to die off and more to come in a month or so…
 
Great news on the fry,,But do you think Jack Dempsey would be proud of a fish that was named after him, to be swimming about in a pink graveled tank lol???/
 
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