# Tankmates for Electric Blue Jack Dempsey - Suggestions?



## chels1289 (Feb 7, 2009)

Hi all!
I have one Electric Blue Jack Dempsey in a 3 foot tank (160lt) and I'm looking for some tank mates for him.
I've had him in with 4 other ebjds but sold them off one by one over the last few months and ended up keeping the biggest most aggressive (and pretty) one. He is nearly 10cm now. He is also in with 2 clown loaches who are a tiny bit bigger than him. They get on very very well.

I know my Africans but I'm only new to Americans and not sure what I'm looking for- so hopefully someone can help me out here.

I guess I'm looking to get maybe 6-8 small (max 5cm) fish that are quick, hardy, school, swim around the middle/top, and big enough that the ebjd won't eat them.
I want the ebjd to be my feature fish. I just want these to add some movement in the tank.

Bright colours are good - the orange of the loaches look so good against the blue of the ebjd. So far I'm thinking Rainbows or Bolivian Rams.. I know that Rainbows work but not sure about the Rams.

Suggestions would be very helpful! Thanks!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Giant danios would work... but a bigger tank in the future would help, a 3 ft tank just isn't long enough for an adult EBJD, let alone foot long clown loaches after about 4 years =P


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## chels1289 (Feb 7, 2009)

Haha no way will I be keeping the Clowns when they get that big lol.
I'll just trade them in for some smaller ones when they get too big.

Although I will hopefully be getting a 5 foot in the next year, fingers crossed. Depends on where I'm living.

How do you think Bolivian Rams would go?


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

The ebjd would bully them as he got larger, they're typically much less aggressive than the jd


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## chels1289 (Feb 7, 2009)

Ohh ok, thanks 
If anyone else has any suggestions I'd love to hear them..


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## djoneser (Mar 20, 2008)

I would go with Danios also, giant is one type, but any of the danio family would work, maybe some zebra danios for more patterns..? Just make sure you get at least 4-5 of the danios (or any true schooling fish), so they can do their schooling behaviour

I have several EBJD's myself and just put a pair of Kribs in with them, figuring maybe they would learn something from watching the Kribs mating behaviour. (I know technically a bad mix, african with SA, but the Kribs seem fine and happy and flirting regardless of PH..)


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

In my opinion, your tank is too small for any dither tankmates. And even in a larger tank, I wouldn't try any danio, except giant danios---it's the only one of the genus suitable as a tankmate for most CA's.

If you had a larger tank, I could give you some suggestions for an absolutely stunning tank.


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