New 55 gallon

[Caesar The Blue]

So the 55 gallon I got, didn't leak.
I got it all set up. Let it run with my old filter in it from my 110 gallon(I got a canister filter to replace it). used some of the tank stuff so the water in "ready for fish right away" or whatever. (I haven't had any deaths from doing this ever, I did this in my other two tanks...)
Put my salvini in it. Got a regular JD the next day....

then got 5 of what are suppose to be BGJD a day after that....and I'm having trouble with them. When the person sent me pictures of them, they were pale and didn't have a lot of coloring to them. I figured it was because they looked like they were in about a 20-30 gallon holding tank with no decorations or anything to hide behind.

So today is the second day I've had them. I haven't messed with them much besides feeding them. But they still haven't gotten any color back really....
And the regular JD I bought, he has all of his color still. He only got stressed looking while he was in the bag.

They're all hiding still also. Even my Salvini, who has never been very friendly...but never hid from me as much as he is in this tank. (The JD's aren't bothering him, he chases them off even the ones who are twice as big as him, and has claimed one of the caves as his own.)

I'll watch the fish from far away, and they come out but they don't get any more darker...they just stay pale.

I'm kind of wondering if they really are Jack Dempseys....


Sizes of the fish
Salvini: 1 inch and a half
JD from store: 2 and a half inches possibly almost 3 inches.
2 of the 5 Pale ones: 2 - 2 1/2 inches
3 of the 5 pale ones: 1 1/2-1 3/4 inches

Help


The tank:

What they all hide around or in:

The one in front is the one I bought separately at a store(behind it is one of the pale ones):

The pale guys:

One of the pales ones who isn't AS pale:

The flash brought out some more of their colors than are actually showing...


Let me know if more pictures would help...
Mostly just wondering if these guys really are even Jack Dempseys.
And why they are so pale. I haven't seen any as pale as they are...

 

[trace]

Ya they are jds and they will just need to settle in but any that get picked on will not color up as much and the light substrate makes them light as well


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[Caesar The Blue]

Okay, thanks. Do you know at what size can they be sexed?


Here are more pictures:

 

[luvinbluegills]

They could use some more structure in which to hide or just to relate to in order to feel like they have their own spots. That can stress them greatly. That's why they congregate in the one pot. Plus, with 5 JDs and a salvini, you're very likely to have some wars in that 55 within a year or so, especially if you don't add more cover. Maybe some wood or plastic plants, or even more pots.

 

[Caesar The Blue]

I'm still adding to it, I know it's pretty bare right now. I have drift wood I've been soaking for 3-4 weeks now. Only some of the smaller pieces have finished.

I don't plan to keep all of the Jacks. I'm going to pick a couple I think, and try to get a BGJD pair. And hope they are BGJD. Try later to pair one with my EBJD if he makes it past 3 inches(currently at 2 inches).

 

[trace]

The regular jd is female and from what I can tell you have two males and a couple females the female get a lot of blue metallic sheen on the gill plates and cheeks in large blotches the males get more downright and little freckling on their heads


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[Caesar The Blue]

Cool, I thought the one from the shop was probably a female.

Anybody know what size they start pairing up at?

 

[Kivstev]

Put a dark background on that tank and I bet they'll color up fairly quickly. Dempsey's can be skittish and are not very fond a bright tanks IME.

 

[Caesar The Blue]

Thanks for the tip! I'll put a background on tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[Caesar The Blue]

I put a black back ground on the tank, and added more "caves", drift wood, and some plants yesterday. Fish still aren't coming out when I'm around. They did kill my Salvini though I found him today while checking to see if they ate all their food....he was all mangled and bent. Totally weird.
At least now I know to not try any other fish in there with them....
Moved two of the smallest JDs to my 110 gallon yesterday. My EBJD is enjoying putting them in their place since he's almost an inch bigger than them (for now)....now feeling weary of having them in there. Probably will fish them out and put them back in with their other friends in the morning...

I'll try to post some pics of the tank how it is now tomorrow also.