# Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Attempt #2...



## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

opcorn:

Alright I figured after my first failed attempt....I would document my second attempt at this on here and it might be of use. My lfs has a batch of EBJD's and after having gone to this store for years, I've never seen them carried before. So I'm inclined to pounce on it while it's here. I've had my normal JD for years and he's probably about 7 in. now, so I bought my first EBJD a few weeks ago without much forethought. Needless to say the little guy thrived for about a month and then suddenly BAM!!! Trouble swimming and running into things, and labored breathing, he died within the day. So bummed...But! rather than give up I figured I'd do the dumb thing and double down by buying two while they're still here! I've got a 40 gallon long tank that's well established (year +). Suitable tank mates: yoyo loach, 2 syn. catfish that are less than 2 in. still, and a couple of pleco's that have been well-established for a few months now (L018 goldnugget and L002 Tiger). I'm going overboard with the setup this time, with a UV sterilizer, and a backup qt tank on hand along with meds for when the worst seemingly inevitably occurs. I was also toying with the idea of trying to buff up the diet I feed a little early on by introducing vita-chem, any thoughts on this? All advice and experience is welcomed and VERY appreciated. I will of course add pics of the little guys after I pick them up from the store! (they're on hold).


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

As a side note...I also have an equally well-established 20 gallon tank that I was thinking of putting these little things in to get them started. They're so small that sometimes the big 40 gallon tank just seems like it's an ocean for them...Somehow the 20 gallon tank seems like it could be a good "nursery" type environment where I could keep a real close eye on them as they grow. I also afraid this would only add to future stress as I will eventually have to move them over to the 40...which scares me. I dunno, just something I'm mulling over.


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

Okay so here's the new little EBJD's. Picked them up from the store yesterday...
Baby EBJD's
Anyone who looks be sure and let me know if that link works, pretty sure I did it correctly. I have obviously since released these little guys into their 40 gallon home... Of course there's already drama. I will be uploading new pics of them after work today.
1 of them is doing pretty good with the big adjustment to the new environment, the same cannot be said for the other. They were both fine at first but then after a few hours I noticed one of them finding just the most ridiculous hiding places to cram itself into, I waited a good 4-5 hours with half of the tank lights on before I tried feeding a mixture of mysis and brine shrimp and blood worms soaked in a bit of vita-chem. The strong one ate like a pig, but of course, the other was extremely skittish and did not take food even given ample opportunity. He was cramming himself underneath the uv sterilizer and under rocks that only my dumb african dwarf frog gets into normally, the kind of behavior I found to be extremely alarming. Out of concern for him over the first night, I netted the weak one, and put him in a breeder container (the kind that floats at the top). Put some gravel in the bottom to hopefully make it more homey and that's where he sits now...breathing normally and pretty calm, inspecting the top for ways to jump out (which he already did once!). I'm confused, he's strong enough to escape but still won't eat! I saw a really funny thing this morning though. I get up at 3:40 AM for work and I checked on the tank in the dark... I saw the one EBJD in his breeder tank just hangin' out and then right below the tank was his stronger buddy! Just sittin' beside him! It's funny, but it almost made me feel like letting the little guy go! But my instinct is telling me to keep him contained within this big tank (for them anyways) until he will start taking some food. The store I bought from has a 1 week return policy.. so if he doesn't eat before then I'll certainly be looking into an exchange...I'm at a loss as to how to help him progress. Any thoughts?


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

:fish:


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

So I've got a little bit of an update. The strong one has eaten this morning and seems to be behaving normally. The weaker one however, did not take any food this morning... Tried some omega one Cichlid Flakes just to mix it up, but had no effect. Any ideas? 
I do also have a little concern beginning to build over this Featherfin Syn. cat I've got in the tank.. It's not aggressive but rather it's just a tank of a fish. My LFS sold it to me as an upside down cat...but after only a couple weeks it was really obvious that this was not correct. It's already hit 2 in. and I've seen him bulldoze other fish when I feed. I decided to keep him cause I thought it'd be a fine tankmate for my EBJD's but I'm just wondering if anyone would recommend removing this frenzied eater from the tank while I'm trying to get my EBJD's going..I have a 60 gallon tank with about a 7-8 in. Featherfin currenly, that tank would pretty much be my only other option to put this other catfish into. Just a thought. He doesn't really seem to be preventing my one strong EBJD from eating...but I'm paranoid!


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## Riippasaarni1 (Jun 21, 2016)

The link works fine. There are some cute little EBJD's.


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

Thanks for letting me know! I wanted to make sure everyone could see their (hopeful) progression.. I'm still stuck on what to do with the weaker one, most likely take him back.. At this point it would be so nice to hear that it's actually possible to raise one of these little guys to adulthood. Literally everything I read online ends in death for these little fella's . It's kinda beginning to feel like an impossible uphill battle.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Why not go in the yard and find some suitably sized earthworms. You've really got a problem if he can resist a live worm.


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## Riippasaarni1 (Jun 21, 2016)

mambee said:


> Why not go in the yard and find some suitably sized earthworms. You've really got a problem if he can resist a live worm.


Or insects - fresh or frozen.


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

Riippasaarni1 said:


> mambee said:
> 
> 
> > Why not go in the yard and find some suitably sized earthworms. You've really got a problem if he can resist a live worm.
> ...


Alrighty, time for the next installment. Some progress has been made! I came home after work yesterday, and was just watching the little guys (the weaker one still in the breeder container). The stronger one was spending quite a bit of time at the breeder container just hangin' out with his buddy. I again offered them (small amounts) of mysis and brine shrimp and blood worms (still trying to figure out their preference...) The little dude in the breeder just watched as it hit the ground..So I figured "what the heck?" he's swimming strongly with very nice color why won't you eat!? He just seemed uncomfortable in the breeder container...so I just let him go into the tank on his own. The two EBJD's have been inseparable ever since...it's pretty adorable. Anyhow, I figured I'd let him hang out for 5-6 hours in there and then I'd see again if he would take food. The one EBJD has been eating blood worms like a champ and I was hoping his feeding would encourage the weaker one. It worked!! Last night I finally got them both eating! They avoid shrimp like it's an alien object, but they really go for the blood worms soaked or un-soaked in vita-chem. I'm still waiting on some garlic enhancer to come in the mail, but hopefully that can be used to keep things interesting for them and their appetites up.
And thank you both for the suggestions! The issue with earthworms is that these little dudes are so small it's even a struggle for them to eat the blood worms I have, anything I'd find in the yard was be way too big, also I live in a complex and I'm not certain what they use to fertilize with. However, your suggestions did get me on the live food bandwagon! I was thinking I could grab some live black worms? those little guys are even small enough for my little pea puffer to eat and I think their moving about will be great! The two EBJD's even ate some omega one cichlid flakes for me this morning so I'm gonna do everything I can to get them nice and beefy while the gettin' is good.


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## ryan029 (Dec 17, 2015)

Update: 1 dead, it was the stronger of the two. The other one is still alive, swimming weirdly every once in a while like usual. Experiment officially over.


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