JD & Texas

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Mechanic

Mechanic

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 8, 2004
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I recently had my Tiger Oscar of 13 years die on me.
This left my 65 gallon with only 3 silver dollars so naturally I went looking for something to take the available tank space.
After researching for a while I decided to try a couple of Jack Dempsey's.
Now that I've had the pair of "Dempsey's" for a while I realized that one of them is a Texas cichlid not a Jack! :irked:
I'm kinda attached to both of them now so I don't want to take the texas back. (and I wasn't planning on breeding Dempsey's anyways)
I was wondering if a Jack Dempsey and a Texas cichlid can cohabitate in a 65 gallon tank?
Anyone mixed these 2 fish before? and how did it work out?
Thanks.
Eric
 
Mechanic;5134837; said:
I recently had my Tiger Oscar of 13 years die on me.
This left my 65 gallon with only 3 silver dollars so naturally I went looking for something to take the available tank space.
After researching for a while I decided to try a couple of Jack Dempsey's.
Now that I've had the pair of "Dempsey's" for a while I realized that one of them is a Texas cichlid not a Jack! :irked:
I'm kinda attached to both of them now so I don't want to take the texas back. (and I wasn't planning on breeding Dempsey's anyways)
I was wondering if a Jack Dempsey and a Texas cichlid can cohabitate in a 65 gallon tank?
Anyone mixed these 2 fish before? and how did it work out?
Thanks.
Eric
Click to expand...

I can only share from experience, but I'd say it depends on the cichlid. I have have Texas cichlids that were as chill as Bob Marley, and then I've had ones that fought like pit bulls. What's yours like?
 
Thanks for the reply.
The JD and Tex. are both very active chasing pellets and flakes when feeding.
They swim around each other but I've never seen them "go after" each other yet.
They do chase the silver dollars once in a while though.
Both cichlids are very small still , maybe 1-1 1/2 inches?
 
You'll just have to keep an eye on them. The fact that they have been in the same tank since being so young sometimes helps, but you won't know until they get a little bigger and get a little more attitude. Give them both an area with cover (on opposite sides of the tank) for them to each defend as their own territory and you will have a better chance of them being fine together in the long term.
 
IME my JD and carpintis fought all the time (cant remember if he fought with my cyanos or not as juvies...) but i think that it was since they both had blue spangles or something they looked to similar and so always fought once they hit the ~3in mark (didnt really do any damage to each other but lots of gill flaring and circling and chasing) and this was in a 5ft 120. what are the dimensions of the 65g? especially if the "texas" is a cyano i really think they are going to need a larger tank since both JDs and cyanos get to 12in, but with them being that little you still have awhile to worry about that so i would just keep an eye on them for now
 
I agree with what has been posted. In most cases they get along. In some cases I have heard of them cross breeding with each other. This hybrid, in my opinion, is one of my favorite hybrids and favorite looking fish in general. Search around for pics. They are really pretty. Here's a link to a youtube video of a texas jack cross. Good luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtgs3QDab0k
 
I had a JD and a Texas that bred in a 55g tank... So they got on very well! It does depend on the fish though!
 
I tried introducing a 3 inch JD with my 3 inch carpintis and they were brutal to each other, but it really depends on the individual.
 
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