Spawning Blue Jack Dempseys or EBJDs
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It really is...
My point being, if you see a somewhat faded looking blue dempsey, chances are pretty good that if you get him/it into breeding colors, you could have a beautiful fish. And they tend to keep most of that color even if they aren't actively breeding, once they get it.
My point being, if you see a somewhat faded looking blue dempsey, chances are pretty good that if you get him/it into breeding colors, you could have a beautiful fish. And they tend to keep most of that color even if they aren't actively breeding, once they get it.
Randy, seems like u know all there is with the Dempsey family.. How can i easily distinguish a female out of all the males for a regular JAck? I want her to be around 3.5", do you think shes able to breed by then? or should i go around 4.5?, my EBJD is only around 5" himself, also im really interested in seeing him blue up even more(too bad all the pics i take he looks green not blue, howd u do it?)... Professional opinion on how to distinguish sex EASILY, thank you -JOsh
Thanks, I know what I know about the Blues, but There are a lot of other people here who know much more than me about Dempsey.... Especially sexing them.
I think 3.5" is pretty darn close to breeding size for a regular female Dempsey.
My Blues seem to reach spawning age pretty close to 14 months, rather than size. Fed well, mine reach 1 1/2" in 5-6 months. Since that's about the size the are usually sold/bought at, you can guesstimate the age of your male.
Back to sexing Regular Dempseys... females seem to have less color overall, except for black, and unless they're stressed, in which case they go light grey. When happy, dominant female in the tank, or in breeding color, the can get very black through the whole body and the Electric blue spots/spangling around the jaw area becomes very intense.
I'm not very confident in picking/avoiding male Dempseys, but The seem to be lighter and more colorful in the body overall. Below is a photo of a young adult, but not yet colored up EBJD, a female BGJD (They look just like regulr JDs) she is in moderate breeding colors with egg depositor visible if you look carefully under her skirt, and a young, just maturing sub-dominant male BGJD. Notive the rainbow coloration in the male BGJD...
I think 3.5" is pretty darn close to breeding size for a regular female Dempsey.
My Blues seem to reach spawning age pretty close to 14 months, rather than size. Fed well, mine reach 1 1/2" in 5-6 months. Since that's about the size the are usually sold/bought at, you can guesstimate the age of your male.
Back to sexing Regular Dempseys... females seem to have less color overall, except for black, and unless they're stressed, in which case they go light grey. When happy, dominant female in the tank, or in breeding color, the can get very black through the whole body and the Electric blue spots/spangling around the jaw area becomes very intense.
I'm not very confident in picking/avoiding male Dempseys, but The seem to be lighter and more colorful in the body overall. Below is a photo of a young adult, but not yet colored up EBJD, a female BGJD (They look just like regulr JDs) she is in moderate breeding colors with egg depositor visible if you look carefully under her skirt, and a young, just maturing sub-dominant male BGJD. Notive the rainbow coloration in the male BGJD...
FIRST THE FRY LOOK GREAT ..I FINALLY GOT A EBJD AFTER LOOKING FOR A YEAR,I THINK ITS A MALE ..I HAVE A 125GAL WITH A BIG MIX OF FISH ,SO IWOULDN'T ATTEMP TO GET A FEMALE ...I THINK THEY ARE ONE OF YHE NICEST LOOKING FISH I HAVE , HES ABOUT 2 INCHES..I DONT HAVE ROOM FOR ANOTHER TANK ,IF I DID I WOULD BREED THEM IN A HEARTBEAT , YOUR FISH LOOK GREAT,ONE QUESTION WHEN DO YOU REMOVE THE FRY FROM THE PARENTS?
Good question, i think 10 days after the wriggling stage or sumthin, Randy will respond.. Males have the pointed fins by the way... My male is around 5" or so.. 4.5 -5", and iw anna breed his ass STAT
The eggs hatch in 3 days.
THe wigglers are free swimming at 10 days (From the day they were laid).
I leave them with the parents for 1 week after they become free swimming; sometimes when I get too busy I leave them for 2 weeks.
They may start looking like food to the female at 3 weeks.
I siphon them from the bottom of the breeding tank at night with a flashlight, and put them into a 10 gallon tank for another 2-3 weeks, when I remove the BGJDs to make room for the EBJDs to grow without the competition of the BGs.
Then I can keep the remaining EBJDs in the 10 gallon tank for about 2 more months... maximum.
Then they go into a 20-gal where they will grow to about 1 1/4" to 1/2" by 6-7 months and they're ready to ship...
Randy
I'll ease up on the smilies now
THe wigglers are free swimming at 10 days (From the day they were laid).
I leave them with the parents for 1 week after they become free swimming; sometimes when I get too busy I leave them for 2 weeks.
They may start looking like food to the female at 3 weeks.
I siphon them from the bottom of the breeding tank at night with a flashlight, and put them into a 10 gallon tank for another 2-3 weeks, when I remove the BGJDs to make room for the EBJDs to grow without the competition of the BGs.
Then I can keep the remaining EBJDs in the 10 gallon tank for about 2 more months... maximum.
Then they go into a 20-gal where they will grow to about 1 1/4" to 1/2" by 6-7 months and they're ready to ship...
Randy
I'll ease up on the smilies now
