# Jack Dempsey's in a 54 gallon



## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

Hi I'm new to the forum, HI!

Now that my 54 gallon is finally completing its cycle, i can start thinking of stocking it.

It has:

- two large pieces of drift wood, with lots of hiding spaces, holes, cavities
- high fast growing plants on the sides/back ground. Low (anubias) in foreground. 
- 9 tiger barbs
- 2 pleco's

I want to stock it with Jack Dempsey(S). My LFS told me that i can introduce 2 or 3 juvenile (about 2") JD's to the aquarium and that everyone will be fine, with the argument "they grow up together, tigers are fast enough, there are plenty of places to hide and the tank is large enough"

Does anyone want to comment on this one for me?

thanks!


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *s9601694*,

Your tank sounds cool. I have not had a planted tank so I am not sure how the jack Dempsey will treat the plants; but I do know they like to dig during spawning and could uproot plants in the area they decide to spawn.

Do you want a pair of jack Dempsey? If so getting 3 or 4 (try for 1 male and the rest females) will be fine until they pair up, then you will have to remove/return the extra females.

The tiger barbs do have a chance at survival, but they have just as likely of a chance of being eaten. I find my JD and other CA cichlid will attack a school of tiger barbs until they reach an "acceptable" school size, then they typically stop bothering them.

Could you post some pictures of your tank?

Thanks,
Matt


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

mlancaster said:


> Hi *s9601694*,
> 
> Your tank sounds cool. I have not had a planted tank so I am not sure how the jack Dempsey will treat the plants; but I do know they like to dig during spawning and could uproot plants in the area they decide to spawn.
> 
> ...


Hi Matt:

thanks for your reply. I don't necesarrily need to have a breedign pair. Not really into the fish breeding thing. I just really like JD's and I am trying to figure out what the best way would be to keep 2 or 3 of them.. I realize that some of my tiger's might end up as food but I've got some really fast and healthy ones so they'll probably stick it out..

I'll try to put up some pics a little later


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## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

Well if you do end up with a pair, the odd man out could be in trouble in the tank, so just something to keep in mind. You might want to try to get all females or all males or just get a female and male and let them pair and don't save any of the fry.

Also like Matt said, JDs tend to dig only when they spawn so I think you should be ok with the plants for now.

Also with the tiger barbs, they tend to get picked off one at a time so expect to lose some but it'll take a while for you to lose all of them and the JDs may just get tired of chasing them and leave them alone evenutally.


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

jason_nj said:


> Well if you do end up with a pair, the odd man out could be in trouble in the tank, so just something to keep in mind. You might want to try to get all females or all males or just get a female and male and let them pair and don't save any of the fry.
> 
> Also like Matt said, JDs tend to dig only when they spawn so I think you should be ok with the plants for now.
> 
> Also with the tiger barbs, they tend to get picked off one at a time so expect to lose some but it'll take a while for you to lose all of them and the JDs may just get tired of chasing them and leave them alone evenutally.


If you get 3 males as juveniles, will they be ok when they grow up or will they start beating on eachother at one point?


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## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

s9601694 said:


> If you get 3 males as juveniles, will they be ok when they grow up or will they start beating on eachother at one point?


Really depends on the individual personality of the fish, but that is a possibility. How large is the footprint of your tank?


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

jason_nj said:


> s9601694 said:
> 
> 
> > If you get 3 males as juveniles, will they be ok when they grow up or will they start beating on eachother at one point?
> ...


Its a corner tank with a bow front: dimensions are 29" out two ways from the back corner then 36" across from point to point with about 4.5" bow


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## Elijah (Mar 30, 2011)

s9601694 said:


> My LFS told me that i can introduce 2 or 3 juvenile (about 2") JD's to the aquarium and that everyone will be fine, with the argument "they grow up together, tigers are fast enough, there are plenty of places to hide and the tank is large enough"


First off, welcome to the forum! :thumb:

Second, a few years ago, I had a 28 gallon bowfront aquarium; a community set=up. My friend gave me a juvenile Jack Dempsey and a juvenile convict. They were fine and peaceful when they were little, the Dempsey even got bullied by my 4 inch red-tail black shark and Chinese algae eater. But then the tide turned when they matured. It seemed like they grew up overnight. I looked and for the life of me I couldn't find my CAE anywhere, but then I seen it's tail sticking out of the Jack's mouth! The next day my giant red-tail shark was bit in half! I had a betta in there too, but my dempsey ate all its fins off, then my convict finished it off!

Just because tigers are fast, they cannot swim away forever. Eventually, the Jack will catch one.


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## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

Ok unfortunately with that footprint I would tell you to only get one JD. If there is fighting there's no room for any of the fish to hide or get away from the dominate fish.

You might be able to do a pair in that size tank but again, if things go south between the pair, one fish is going to get hurt badly.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

I would get one of a few different species. Breeding of any kind is what can destroy a community tank. Try to get females if you can. Let them grow up together and establish a pecking order. You may have to remove a troublemaker at a later date. Barbs will be fine as they wont fit in any of the fishes mouths.

JD/EBJD
Convict/Honduran Red Point/Cutteri/Sajica
Firemouth
Nicaraguense
Rainbow

These are most common and best chance to get along.

...Bill


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## justin3p0 (Apr 5, 2010)

my female JD broke my fake plants lol!


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

MonteSS said:


> I would get one of a few different species. Breeding of any kind is what can destroy a community tank. Try to get females if you can. Let them grow up together and establish a pecking order. You may have to remove a troublemaker at a later date. Barbs will be fine as they wont fit in any of the fishes mouths.
> 
> JD/EBJD
> Convict/Honduran Red Point/Cutteri/Sajica
> ...


THanks guys for your feedbacks!

Bill: About that list. you're saying one of each of those? That would be fine with me, but just want to make sure i'm not putting fish that like to live in schools or pairs, alone..

The thing is: I dont want to breed fish, maybe in the future but now at this point.. best way to prevent breeding is.. not providing the means.. :wink:

Thanks!


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

OK here are some pics of my tank.. sorry but i am not such a gifted aquarium photographer as some of the members here...


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## Strohs58 (Aug 3, 2009)

Just my opinion, But I don't see enough swimming space in that tank for a Jack, how its set up in those pictures...


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I agree in regards to the jack not having enough swimming space, I do however think a pair of rainbows would be awesome in that tank tho, or perhaps a pair of honduran red points or cutteri (very underrated).


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## Valous (Jan 30, 2011)

Nice tank, but agree not alot of swimming space for a full grown jack. Might be sutible for a few months but that wood takes up alot of space. Rainbows is a good idea, maybe some kribs or rams.
One other question what kind of pleco do you have? If they are both common I would look at taking one back as they get very large.


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

Valous said:


> Nice tank, but agree not alot of swimming space for a full grown jack. Might be sutible for a few months but that wood takes up alot of space. Rainbows is a good idea, maybe some kribs or rams.
> One other question what kind of pleco do you have? If they are both common I would look at taking one back as they get very large.


what about a convict?


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## Valous (Jan 30, 2011)

a convict will do. They are very aggressive so you may not be able to keep much with him/her. if you want a little more peaceful fish the Hondorn red point looks alot like a convict. You can do a couple females in there or a breeding pair.


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## s9601694 (Apr 14, 2011)

Valous said:


> a convict will do. They are very aggressive so you may not be able to keep much with him/her. if you want a little more peaceful fish the Hondorn red point looks alot like a convict. You can do a couple females in there or a breeding pair.


See i dont really want a peaceful fish, i like the ones with character!

But i for sure dont want breeding fish, i am thinking of getting individuals, only i need to make sure that the fish I get can be held as individuals.. (not like the barbs)

Thanks!


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## Valous (Jan 30, 2011)

Convicts will do fine as indivdual and have character. I like fire mouths as well. I have not kept any rainbows so I can't speak for them.but the convict is mean enough to fight off some turtles I had him with for a short period of time.


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## jegrego1 (Jan 24, 2011)

Two are 3 inch and three are 2 in. Theyve been fine together since i introduced the smaller group of three after the other two were established. I love the JD's whenever they pair up Im giving the others to a friend. If you want JDs you should def get them, if you dont want them to grow too quick keep water changes and feeding to a min.

Good luck.


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