I recently bought a 4 inch Jack Dempsey for my 55g tank and he is in there with two cons. The LFS told me the JD was indeed a male because of the red on his top fin and the fact that he has pointed fins. His colors were washed up but the LFS said its because of stress. I just want to know what to expect from this kind of cichlid and will his colors eventually turn out to be very good, like some i have seen online.
Jack Dempsey cichlid info?
- Thread starter GTbEaSt
- Start date
jack dempseys are really great fish but they have mixed personalities. come can be really nasty and attack and torture everything in the tank. but some like mine are very friendly and get along with any fish. it really depends. and the colors will probably change around alot. mine was dark black with green and red and purple and now she is turning more pale for some reason. and the guys at the lfs doesnt know how to sex a dempsey... u cant really tell by the fins or red on the fins. if there is no or just a few speckles of blue on the gills then it is a male. if the gills have alot of blue it is a female. the surest way to tell is to vent the fish. hope this helps
ok, he doesnt have any speckles on the gills..... so since he is male will he turn out to be great in color. I have two ac70 power filters, I feed hikari gold, and I do a water change about every two weeks.....but right now the JD is very skittish and is hiding out..i guess he gots to get used to the tank, hope my cons can give him some reassurance.....
GTbEaSt;3243304; said:
Do a water change more like every week, sometimes do more than that if you can like a 25% twice a week. That will make them grow faster and the water quality should be better with those frequent water changes
i alo hear that if he is very aggressive, you can try turn the temp down. I have never had this trouble so I wouldnt know fish hand.
IcK;3243543; said:
exactly. i think doing water changes will remove some kind of hormones that stunt a fishes growth. and the colors will probably start to come out more once he isn't as stressed
JDs can be pretty skittish anyway . . . it helps to have other fish in the tank that can make him feel more comfortable
you mentioned the tank also has two convicts; are they a pair? that could be a recipe for future conflict, especially if it is not a large enought tank . . .
you mentioned the tank also has two convicts; are they a pair? that could be a recipe for future conflict, especially if it is not a large enought tank . . .