Question about Dempsey Genes...

[Natural_Born_Killer]

Ok, I'm quite new to the whole fish keeping (roughly 7 months into it) and fallen in love with dempsey's but am finding myself suddenly confused.

What is the difference between a "regular" or a "blue gene" dempsey.

On that note, I have what I suspect is a male Dempsey but he is rather grey coloured and doesn't have that much iridescent spots on his body. Does this make him a "regular" while the female I have is rather dark bodied with more colour?

Sorry... but would really like to finally figure this whole thing out.

 

[Camphilophus]

Yours is a regular dempsey. Blue gene just means that the fish is a offspring between a regular jack dempsey and a electric blue jack dempsey. If you were to breed a blue gene jack dempsey with a electic blue dempsey you will end up with a percentage of electric blue dempsey fry.

 

[SOKO]

The regular ones are the ones that people usually post up. They are the purpleish ones with loads of green and yellow.

The ones with the blue gene are the ones with a lot of blue scales instead of green and yellow. Basically imagine a dempsey that has the purple background" and on top of it is a lot of blue.

Note though that they are not the electric blue jack dempsey

Don't worry about being new to the hobby you will eventually get the upper hand on this kind of knowlegdge most of the people here did.

 

[SOKO]

Yours is a regular dempsey. Blue gene just means that is a offspring between a regular jack dempsey and a electric blue jack dempsey. If you were to breed a blue gene jack dempsey with a electic blue dempsey you will end up with a percentage of electric blue dempsey fry.

Yep, forgot to include that

 

[Natural_Born_Killer]

Ohhh ok, I just got somewhat confused because what I suspect to be a male has basically now colour on the body and is quite a strangey purple/grey colour. And the ones I am certain are females have the most and are quite dark blue... so baffled!

But I do love the fish breed, think they are just so beautiful, overall my favorites that I have.

 

[Natural_Born_Killer]

And thanks for the information... very helpful!

 

[Camphilophus]

Jacks colors change a lot when they are young or when they are stressed. They will darken up with age as long as they're comfortable with their environment.

 

[Natural_Born_Killer]

Yeah I have noticed that one of them has a tendency to change colours quite often.

I really am looking forward to the male darkening up and hopefully getting more iridescent. That is, if he is a male

From what I've read on here it seems that he would be... but I suppose time will tell.

 

[stuckinthemiddle]

The ones with the blue gene are the ones with a lot of blue scales instead of green and yellow. Basically imagine a dempsey that has the purple background" and on top of it is a lot of blue.

That's not entirely correct. Blue Gene Dempseys can look like standard dempseys and IMO most of the time there is no visible difference in the two. Sometimes you will see better quality BGs Vs Standards simply because the BGs have been better cared for with better food, more frequent water changes and have been culled but can get the same results with a well care for standard jack.

 

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

stuckinthemiddle-----right on the dot!