Newcomer

[spakase]

Hi,

Just joined this forum. I'm now keeping Jack Dempseys, Vieja Reganis and Bi-fasciatus. Have a couple of Jack Dempsey pics I'd like to share and learn more about the variants.

[spakase]

I think the fish in the foreground of this second pic is a female.

http://E:My Download FilesMy DocumentsMy PicturesJackDempseyfemalepic1.jpg

[spakase]

My questions are:
1. How do you sex Jack Dempseys?
2. Do all Jack Dempseys have red/pink bellies like mine?
3. Can you keep JDs together with Blue Dempseys in the same tank?

[Rudy]

I have never personally seen a jack with that much coloration.(the second one) Yours almost look like they have been selectively bred, or crossed somewhere back. Both a possibility. There is also a chance that they are just awesome looking.

Jacks in my opinion are not that aggressive, but tough as nails. They are kept with gouramis, and tetras usually without an issue. They are a neat fish as you can usually keep them with tough cichlids as well as some community set ups. A breeding pair of them and you will have trouble. There also a few that are considerably aggressive. Keeping them with Blue dempseys could work and could not it depends on the situation, tank and stocking. What did you have in mind?

Venting jacks is the only sure fire way to sex them. There are lots of different claims on how you sex them like females will only have blue half way up their face etc. You will always have one that will go against the rule.

Oh yeah. Awesome pics. I love them.

[spakase]

Thanks for your comments. :D

I'm thinking of keeping a species tank with Jack Dempseys only. However, my lfs do not have any more JDs. Blue Dempseys on the other hand are available and I was thinking of keeping a community of some 7 fishes (2 JDs and 5 BDs). Blue Dempseys, if the article I read is correct, is actually a variant of the JD and not a different species.

[Rudy]

Unfortunately that it will not work. An american species tank usually only means one fish, or a pair. Cichlids are more likely actually more than likely to pair up and kill the rest of the fish especially their own kind in the tank as the territory cannot possibly be large enough.

Blue dempsey are selectively bred species of the JD. They are however known to be less agressive, smaller and way less hardy and die quite easily for no reason. You also cannot breed blue dempseys. They have to be bred with a common JD to get some blue dempseys and some common. Eggs do not fertilize if the two dempseys are blue variant.

[spakase]

Would you know whether the male or female Blue Dempsey is fertile?

[Rex Karr]

Both are fertile, but pairing the recessive genes is fatal.

[spakase]

Both are fertile, but pairing the recessive genes is fatal.

Hey, thanks for the info. BTW did you learn this from a breeder or a book? Or did you breed them b4?:)