# New electric blue jack dempsey advise



## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Hi, new to this forum! 
I have a fully cycled 70 gallon that has been up and running for years. It has a large over the side filter and a uv filter. My green sunfish who was my center piece died of old age last month. Sad about the loss, had him for years and years. PH 7.4, ammonia 0, no2 0, no3 always less than 20. Siphon gravel weekly. I'm ready for a new center piece and have ordered a baby electric blue jack dempsey. I absolutely fell in love with these fish. I've been trying to read as much as possible about them to make as happy as possible. I find conflicting info out there. My tank is currently stocked with a very mild mannered veiled angel (body size is a little larger than a quarter and has very long fins), 10 assorted long fin danios, 2 zebra nerite snails, several ghost shrimp and planted with Java fern. My question is will this be too active for the new little guy? Mainly the danios, will they be too much for the new EBJD, competing for food? I've read they smaller EBJD are very touch and go until they get to be 3 inches or more. Should I remove the danios? I've read that schooling fish help make JD feel better, they watch them? So I'm just not sure if it's better to have in there or not. I know when the EBJD grows there is a chance that they could become lunch, and I'm ok with that. I just want to make sure the new EBJD has the best chance to grow. Any advise on the EBJD would be appreciated!!!


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

He should be OK but make sure he gets lots of high quality food. I would feed him live brine shrimp til he increases his size enough to eat pellets (which are too big for the danios). And give him periodic live food even once he's full grown.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

So I should be getting them this week, can't wait! Quick question, they sent these instructions, but they are coming from a ph of 8 and mine is 7.4, I have always slowly added my water to them to acclimate new fish. Their instructions do not advise that. Is there something I'm missing? Is there a reason you should not do that? Thanks for any advise!
Note from Tampa Bay Cichlids
Acclimation Instructions Thank you for your order. Your fish have been professionally bagged with oxygen, an ammonia remover, and a mild sedative in a heavy duty, professional fish packing bag. Quickly rinse bag in sink to remove any packing material that may stick to the outside of the bag. Packing material is non toxic so if any gets into your tank just syphon out. To acclimate your fish, float the bags unopened in your tank till both the bag water and the tank water are the same temperature. Open bag and pour fish into a net over a bucket or sink. Put fish directly into tank. We do not recommend any other acclimation procedure and it is at your own risk if you chose to do a different procedure.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

The acclimation instructions you got are the most recent method and are a tried and true procedure when adding new fish so I would definitely follow them to avoid problems with the seller.

The older method of adding tank water to the newly opened fish bag is no longer recommended because of the possibility of any ammonia becoming toxic to the bagged fish, especially at higher pH levels.

Do you know what your GH (hardness) and KH (alkalinity) levels are for both your tap water and your tank water?


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Tap kh 80, gh 60 ish
Tank kh 40, gh 120 ish
These numbers are from using the api test strips. I know the strips are not super accurate. 
I use the api master kit for my ph, ammonia, no2 and no3 readings. 
Ph 7.4, ammonia 0, no2 0, no3 less than 20.


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

That's what I've always done, usually with some kind of dip step though. For a long time people told me I was idiot but for most fish it works fine.

For very sensitive things like shrimp it's another story though. They will still probably survive direct decantation if the waiting water is clean and tank is mature, but it's a risk.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

And I should add those readings are straight out of tap. We have a lot of limestone in our water.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Thank you everyone who has chimed in to help.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks for posting your GH and KH values! I see the KH drops and the GH rises in your tank from the tap water levels so there is some slight changes there.

I don't usually suggest messing with using buffers to change pH or KH in your aquarium but I wonder if it would be a temporary good idea since your new fish are coming from a higher pH than your current tank level. The usual recommendation is not to raise or lower the pH more than 0.2 per day so I hope someone with more experience can comment on this.

Maybe you can contact the vendor directly for their recommendations on this topic.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Thanks! I just emailed the vendor. I feel like the crazy fish lady, stressing over it so much! I really want these guys to do well. I've read so many horror stories about how sensitive they are while they are young, and how they can die off for no apparent reason other than bad genetics. I just don't want them to be super stressed from the get go.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I completely understand what you are saying so I know you aren't crazy! I have never kept the EBJD but have also heard they are sensitive when young. I'm interested in what the vendor suggests so keep us posted.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

I went back to their website to see if there was anything else I could find, and I was wrong on the ph. Most are at 8, but luckily under the EBJD discription I found this....
We raise our Electric Blue Jack Dempseys in a Ph of 7.8 with a 200+ PPM hardness. This works for the tap water that most hobbiest in the Untied States use.

That's still a big jump, but maybe not quite as bad?
I'll let you know when and if I hear back from vendor.


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## Fish Jerk (Mar 9, 2016)

Shouldn't matter even a little.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I think you should be just fine with the new info you posted.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

They finally arrived and they are beautiful!!!!! Followed directions as sent, and seem fine so far.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

https://instagram.com/p/BEbe6NDnybGoDz6 ... kHJcG3jE0/


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I"m glad things went well for you and nice pic of the new fish!!


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

They seem pretty happy. Kinda feisty actually, chasing the dainos around already and not backing down from looks from the angel fish.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

im not sure why, but it duplicated and cut off my last message. Here is the rest of it: I am concerned about them though. I fed them when I got home from work and they seemed very interested in food, would take large mouthfuls in, but would chew for a while and spit a lot of it back out and suck it up and chew some more, spit, chew, spit chew. (Gave a little cichlid flakes crunched up and a little frozen emerald entrée). I just noticed one of them at least had very thin stringy kinda clearish poop. Could this just be from being in mail past two days without any food, or did they come with parasites? Do I need to just keep eye on, or treat? If treatment is needed, what should I use and can it be used with my snails and shrimp in tank? Thank you!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

It is common for the fish to take in food, chew, spit and then eat it, especially if the food brand is new to them or if using pellets that are too large.

Clear poop may be common for fish that were fasted prior to shipping, just verify that they are eating and keep an eye on it for the next couple days.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Awesome!! Thank you. I did see one had normal looking poop this morning, so I'm hoping they are all good. Thank you!!!


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

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http://instagr.am/p/BEe8VOUnybH/


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Well, they came with ich. Ugh. Hopefully it will be ok bc taking care of it early, and uv sanitizing filter has been running from the get go. None of my original fish showing any symptoms, just the two new EBJD. Raising temp and salt treating tank. Hope for the best. Still swimming very happily and eating well. Wish me luck!!! Any advise appreciated.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Oh and water quality is pretty close to perfect: ammonia at 0, no2 at 0 no3 is at 5ppm.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

Finished the ich treatment (salt and high temps) with success and no casualties.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

When exactly does the dreaded beak face become apparent? Do you see any signs of it in the following photos?


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

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http://instagr.am/p/BFPg6U1Hyaf/


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http://instagr.am/p/BFPg0RgHyaQ/
This is the bigger of my 2 EBJD taken today


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

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http://instagr.am/p/BFPgsTvHyZ_/
This is the smaller of the two.


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## Brittanirdh (Apr 15, 2016)

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http://instagr.am/p/BFPzd6unydy/


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