# JD Behavior



## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

Between moving tanks and taking her babies, my girl is sulking. Basically she hides out in her cave most of the day only coming out to eat if I entice her with her favorite flake food. At first, she would only eat if I basically hand fed her in her cave - now she will come out when she sees it. Most of the day, her mate hangs out infront of her cave. If she moves caves, he moves his guard point.

Normal behavior? They've never been in a spot for me to watch them so well after a successful egg laying.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

This sounds pretty standard to me. Have you ever noticed the male bringing her food?

He's not beating on her is he?


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

No, he isn't bringing her food from what I can tell, but she comes out to eat. Rarely is there left over food when she is in the cave.

He's not really beating her up - chasing her a bit but I've not seen any real aggression towards her. There have been plenty of times when she is out that he could have attacked her and he hasn't. I'm careful to watch for that and check her for bite marks. He almost killed her about 2 years ago, her tail still shows the scars. Took her a couple of months to recover completely but within a month of putting her back in "his" tank they were great buddies and a month after that we had our first egg laying.

It seems like he's ready for her to lay eggs again but she just isn't in the mood - maybe she has a headache?? :lol:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

:lol: Possible :lol:


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## teqvet (Mar 24, 2008)

Lively said:


> It seems like he's ready for her to lay eggs again but she just isn't in the mood - *maybe she has a headache?*? :lol:


thanks.. i nearly woke the baby! :lol:


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

teqvet said:


> thanks.. i nearly woke the baby! :lol:


 :thumb: happy to provide the occasional chuckle...


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

Seems the headache is gone... Guess that advil I plopped into the water helped... (yes, I'm kidding)

I had no idea she was such a tease... lol I love that we moved the tank so I can really watch them easily. Her colors are up around her face and she is enticing him to follow her. I can't remember what the egg laying anatomy is called - but it's pronounced. It's been about 6 weeks from last laying and about a week to the day since I took the fry - normal?

I can't believe I've had these fish this long and never been able to watch this before - more entertaining than anything on tv opcorn:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Lively said:


> - more entertaining than anything on tv opcorn:


Couldn't agree more 8)


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## teqvet (Mar 24, 2008)

Lively said:


> more entertaining than anything on tv opcorn:


Exactly why, when I found this 75g, I thought it'd be perfect to put in our bedroom. Planning on getting(with tax return!) a new king sized bed and a recliner to put in the room as well so I have more of an excuse to keep the wife in there with me on early weekend mornings while the kids are up at the crack of dawn watching cartoons.

I figure a couple of EBJD's to stare at with their beauty and some clown loaches with their antics would be perfect 

I'll watch my msobo tank about an hour before I crash each night because it's A) relaxing, b)entertaining, c)makes you sleepy with the waterfall sounds of the HOB's LOL!!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'll tell you, there's nothing more stress relieveing!


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2009)

haha i fell asleep about 5 times looking at my 100 gallon.

is there a reason on why jack's hide a lot? i would like to see mine more often.

not trying to steal Lively's thread or anything


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

That's a good question.. some are very shy, most are in fact... Some grow out of this trait while others never do. One thing that a peson can do is to introduce some swordtails to the tank along with some floating plants. This will convince the jd's that it's safe to come out simply because it's safe for smaller fish to come out. They think there's no presence of a predator if smaller fish are swimming freely so they feel a little more comfortable... This works with some, but not with others... I say it's worth a try


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2009)

Hmmm I guess my oscar is scaring it a bit then haha. 
My oscar is going crazy right now as I speak haha


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

g465777 said:


> is there a reason on why jack's hide a lot? i would like to see mine more often.
> 
> not trying to steal Lively's thread or anything


  Steal away...

I really don't know why they are shy, mine used to be shy, then he just got too darn big to hide anywhere in the tank. He didn't have a choice but to be social. I did try and make him a cave, but he is strong enough to move the rocks, for his sake I just have hidey holes big enough for my female and the young Jack I have. He, unlike his dad who was about the same size when we got him, is a very social fish.

The only ways I heard of to get a JD out of hiding is to give him or her a mate, another fish to chase or take away hidey holes. You'll see him more if he doesn't have a cave - but I think he would not be a happy fish. By the time mine got too big to hide, he was pretty tame - would eat out of our hands and was spening more time out than in. He has some floating (plastic) plants to hid in if he really wanted to hide now and occasionally he does.

*teqvet* - I have 4 kids - ages 19 months to 13 years... I feel your pain! lol Hubby wanted a fish tank in the bedroom, but one night I was snoring so loudly he gave up and went downstairs to sleep on the couch...that morning he said we'd never have one in our room...the sound of the water drove him nuts.


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

LOL - was typing while you were about the Oscar...

Yeah.. that might be the issue... ROFL!

Get the boy his own home and a gal (or gal and boy) :lol:

What was that about feeling safe FishGuy? I think we can safely say he doesn't... :fish:


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2009)

Haha my oscar was flairing at himself and moving around gravel over my mag float hah
My oscar is really funny, he tries to act tough around his buddies but right when I put my hand in there his shoots off and my jack just stays lol


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## teqvet (Mar 24, 2008)

Lively said:


> g465777 said:
> 
> 
> > *teqvet* - I have 4 kids - ages 19 months to 13 years... I feel your pain! lol Hubby wanted a fish tank in the bedroom, but one night I was snoring so loudly he gave up and went downstairs to sleep on the couch...that morning he said we'd never have one in our room...the sound of the water drove him nuts.


hahaha! We both agree that the gentle waterfall from the emp 400 is very soothing and actually helps us sleep better. Sounds like ambient river noise.


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

Her color is up and she's been out all day... they are cleaning rocks


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Lively said:


> Her color is up and she's been out all day... they are cleaning rocks


 =D> =D> =D>


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

He's standing on his head cleaning rocks for her... what a man :thumb:

I love my fish, can you tell?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Nothing wrong with loving your fish... My oldest daughter asked me today why I like fish so much... I'm having trouble answering....


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

How old? I tell mine "because they don't talk!" lol


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

My oldest is ten, followed by her sister who is 8, then they've got two younger brothers (almost four and two)

We've got a full house!


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> We've got a full house!


LOL! Yeah you do. I guess mine understand because each of them have her own passion. My oldest is 13 and you can't get her to quit singing. My 11 year old girls is a fish and animal freak like me - she spends as much time at the tank as I do, her and her 8yr old sister take care of the salt tank, she bought a horseshoe crab to go in it with her own money. She also has a betta and a hamster. My 8 year old loves the horses that pasture beside us - always pestering me for carrots for them and she is the one who plays with our puppy the most and is always searching for the cat to cuddle.

The only boy, our 19 month old, is showing the same disposition, he loves watching the fish and one of his first words was "co-co" The cats name is "Coley Cole" He has no problem with the puppy either. He calls for Sadie to give her the rawhide bones she leaves scattered around the house.

I think they would think I was weird if I didn't love keeping fish.


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

I'm betting the eggs get laid today... they sure are taking their sweet time about this... lol They've excavated the whole darn tank now and it was fun watching him move some medium sized stones he didn't like. Her tube has dropped down...

I guess he isn't happy with the breeding rock area... he's spitting rocks around the tank right now. Are any other fish as amusing as JD's? The have so much personality!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Jd's (in my opinion) have the least amount of personality when considering oscars or midas... Actually... in my opinion just about every other CA has more personality... Every jd I've ever had was shy though... I hope you're not offended


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> Jd's (in my opinion) have the least amount of personality when considering oscars or midas... Actually... in my opinion just about every other CA has more personality... Every jd I've ever had was shy though... I hope you're not offended


 :lol: No offence taken... I guess if mine hid out all day I'd not like them so much. To be absolutely honest, I liked my fish before they started breeding - but it's only been since they had fry that I have found them this interesting. The fry I took out almost 2 weeks ago are funny too, I've seen them yawn and a few of them will rush the glass and flare up the topfin trying to look ferocious I suppose...

Did you have any mated pairs?

My bro-in-law has a Oscar - I think he's boring - but poor thing looks bored big empty 55gallon with nothing to do. Only time he gets to do anything is when he has some live food - then he's kinda interesting. But, I've seen other oscars I thought had great personalities.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Lively said:


> Did you have any mated pairs?


Yes, two pair of convicts with fry
two breeding pairs of nics
A breeding pair of jd's
A breeding pair of oscars
A breeding pair of jags
A breeding pair or two of midas
Soon to be pair of black belts
Soon to be pair of bifasciatum
and in about six months to a year hopefully a pair of chocolates
In about five years hopefully a breeding group of mpimbwe frontosa (my wifes but I maintain the tank! LOL)

I think that's all, but I'll know better once this is done, at the moment most of the big dogs are in an 8' pond:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=186328


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> Lively said:
> 
> 
> > Did you have any mated pairs?
> ...


ROFL...just a few pairs of fish... I read the thread on your pond in the basement a week or so ago - I lurk in and out all day reading all the old posts. I'm afraid I'm now obsessed with all things fishy ... told hubby about your pond - I want one! lol And I've got an empty basement... But aren't your Jacks lost in there? I think they may be like a shy person (or couple) at a party - in a group they are lost but one on one you find out they are pretty interesting. But then, mine are in the center of the house and 5 feet from my desk - very open floor plan so I see them all the time and they are used to the foot traffic infront of the tank.

The Jacks used to be my husbands... but nowadays I often here, "you and your fish!" most definately mine now! He likes setting up the tank, actually he loves creating aquariums but after that's done and he is finished tweaking they become mine - suits me just fine


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Well, the jacks, cons, nics and chocolates are in the back room... but there's one big male jack who gets on well with all the others...  I've got two other males and a small female that are going to auction this coming week  The oscars used to have their own tank and so did the jags but with all of the construction going on those tanks were taken down or other fish got moved into them... the midas and others just spawn whenever they want to in the community... I'll eventually pull them out and set them up... but for now I'm a little too busy with other things! LOL


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

You sell them on AquaBid? I found that site via this site... lol I was thinking of putting my young male jack on there but two things stop me 1)he's the first surviving baby of my pair and 2)I'm afraid I'd kill him by shipping him wrong. I am going to get him a tank and a girl for him... but the gal I want for him is going to be hard to find, I'd really like an EBJD female so I (and he) will be patient!

OH!! that wasn't the thread I read before... HOLY COW! what an awesome idea.... just skimmed it but will go back and read it properly!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

You don't have to read that thread  it's all videos 

And no, I don't sell through aquabid. I sell at local auctions. I'm a member of the Ohio Cichlid Association but also attend other auctions around the area  You should join your local cichlid club. It's a great way to get rid of fry and get new fish. Fish that are better than what you find at sores or on line


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

I saw...for the video's! I'm itching for the opportunity to watch them.

I'll have to see if there is a club close by - I love where I live (in the middle of nowhere) but it does make for long drives to do anything fun! It's a 30 minute drive to "town" if traffic is good (and that is rare) oh, and that is the edge of town - I kinda liked it when the gas prices were sky high... the roads were slightly less congested! lol


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

We live in a one traffic light town... It's nice!


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## Lively (Jan 13, 2009)

YEAH! EGGS! She did it when we were all gone - figures.

Actually, so do I. The elementary school my 8yr old goes to has 6 classrooms - one for each grade. Trouble is, it is too small and doesn't have any good lfs. Found out today we lost the closest decent (but expensive) lfs. Now I will have to drive about an hour to get a good one. I live about 45 minutes outside DC - that's why i can live in the country but still have to deal with horrible traffic.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Congrats on the eggs!


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