Jack Dempsey Discoloration?

[PayaraMan]

I've had this 4" Jack Dempsey for about 4 months now and the colors are not looking well at all, Mine does not have the normal glittery scales that most normal Jack's have, You can see the scales but they are just not lighting up at all. They're more of a dark grayish blue,purple,green, Just not pretty at all and the color on the face is just all mushed up it seems. No change in behavior just the color is what I'm worried about, I was thinking maybe there could be some internal parasites but hes not starving himself at all and is eating normal. Is this always going to last or will the color improve?

 

[Blankmanrl]

sounds like u have a female

 

[PayaraMan]

sounds like u have a female

How do you tell the sex on Dempsey's?

 

[thedarkone]

How do you tell the sex on Dempsey's?

If the gill plates have blue smeared on them it is a female.

 

[thedarkone]

Here I attached a picture of my female so you can see what I am talking about.

 

[PayaraMan]

Here I attached a picture of my female so you can see what I am talking about.

Do females still look amazing when they are adults like the males do?

 

[ccebr]

female much paler and less glittery than the males
these pics show the difference between sex, the first is my male jag, second the female.
notice how much darker (more purple) the male is than the female, and these are only 4 or 5 inches

 

[PayaraMan]

female much paler and less glittery than the males
these pics show the difference between sex, the first is my male jag, second the female.
notice how much darker (more purple) the male is than the female, and these are only 4 or 5 inches

Awwww that sucks but I may buy a male and give mine to a friend.

 

[Aasikki]

Maybe there's everything okay with the fish, but what about the conditions? In my opinion you've got a bit too much animals in 55gallons... If the water was okay, maybe it stresses that environment with such many aggressive fishes around in such small area...

 

[Sab_Fan]

seconding the point above, you do have a remarkably over-stocked 55G tank . . .

55G is a good minimum size for a JD, and fine for the firemouth, convicts and/or hondurans . . .

but at least three of your fish - - the managuense, GT, and flowerhorn - - would outgrow the 55G in a year or so . . . and there is a good chance that none of your fish will thrive in the current set-up