What do you guys think about them? Ive got one and he is only three to four inches and dominates the tank. I CAN NOT put any other fish in with him he will kill them!!! and its a 55 gallon one question i do have is what is the average growth rate and what live food do you feed yours??
Jack Dempseys in general??
- Thread starter JDKing
- Start date
I think Jacks can be very beautiful fish if taken care of right. Personally, I have 2 males with a Texas and under the right light and diet they are very beautiful fish. When people come over and I tell them they are Jack Dempsey's, usually their first reaction is "You mean the kinds you get a Petsmart?" As far as diet, it should be more than just live foods (if youre referring to feeder fish). If you are buying feeders, quarentine them or make sure they're disease free. No one will be able to determine a growth rate without a starting point, or age.
well i wasnt talking about just live food in general i mean other than feeder fish. like shrimp and things like that i am using blood worms and Spectrum large fish formula at the moment.
I have six pairs of JD's. They are a very fun fish.
Convicts have proven to be excellent tankmates and tough enough to stand up for themselves, at least for me.
I personally breed my own live foods (convicts, platys, guppies). It's safer that way.
Frozen krill, bloodworms, mysis, and brine shrimp are all very tasty for them.
Freeze-dried blackworm has also been an excellent food.
I alternate frozen and flakes/pellets. I also mix in spiriluna on frozen food nights to make sure they eat their veggies.
Hope this helps!
Convicts have proven to be excellent tankmates and tough enough to stand up for themselves, at least for me.
I personally breed my own live foods (convicts, platys, guppies). It's safer that way.
Frozen krill, bloodworms, mysis, and brine shrimp are all very tasty for them.
Freeze-dried blackworm has also been an excellent food.
I alternate frozen and flakes/pellets. I also mix in spiriluna on frozen food nights to make sure they eat their veggies.
Hope this helps!
Try making him a house. IME jacks are pretty skittish in general and tend to dominate a tank if they have nowhere to go. I've kept my little ones for a short time in 20's with red devils (they are now in bigger pastures). But IME jack's aren't all that agressive as far as cichlids go as long as they have their own little "house". PVC tube, closed on one side, so theres a little 'door' at the end works well covered in rocks, so do big flowerpots with a "door" punched out. It's pretty cute too to watch them clean and protect their 'house'.
The fact that its a 55 is probably an issue though too. Thats really only big enough for one larger dempsey, but you could possibly get away with a tribe of small convicts or something as well.
The fact that its a 55 is probably an issue though too. Thats really only big enough for one larger dempsey, but you could possibly get away with a tribe of small convicts or something as well.
When mine was a juvie I would feed frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worms, mini sized Hikari Cichlid Gold
As they get larger, Hikari Cichlid Gold as a staple, then would feed frozen shrimp or gut loaded meal worms once or twice a week
I tend to think a high quality pellet staple supplemented with live foods is a pretty sound diet
As they get larger, Hikari Cichlid Gold as a staple, then would feed frozen shrimp or gut loaded meal worms once or twice a week
I tend to think a high quality pellet staple supplemented with live foods is a pretty sound diet
Here is a thread that shows the growth rate
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138229&highlight=growth+rate&page=6
about an 1 inch a month if water quality and diet are good in a single specimen tank.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138229&highlight=growth+rate&page=6
about an 1 inch a month if water quality and diet are good in a single specimen tank.
Well yea mine decided he wants all the houses i have three set up with two of them driftwood and one rock work he just decided the whole thing is going to be his besides for the pleco haha. yea the 55 is only big enough for one adult male anyways. Does anybody know the true size a jack can get to in a 55 because ive heard 10 inches then i heard 12 but i think 12 is an exception . I know you guys have adults so let me know if you can!!