# Jack Dempsey



## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

My new rescue. Picked this guy up for free from a local place free of charge. Took him out of a cramped, overstocked tank and gave him a home all his own. He clearly appears to be a male (but I'm always open for correction). I have yet to name him. Around 6 inches in length and very well adjusted to his new home. 
Much like my Texas cichlid page I'll be using this thread to document his growth and changing.


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## Jackfish18 (May 28, 2021)

Very nice, I had one that lived 13 years!


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

No correction needed sir! I also believe that is indeed a very nice male Jack Dempsey Cichlid, _Rocio Octofasciatus, _you have. I assume he'll also be kept as another 'wet pet', in yet another 55 gallon aquarium?


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## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

Auballagh said:


> No correction needed sir! I also believe that is indeed a very nice male Jack Dempsey Cichlid, _Rocio Octofasciatus, _you have. I assume he'll also be kept as another 'wet pet', in yet another 55 gallon aquarium?


Yes indeed! I should have photographed the tank I got him from. It was more or less a cichlid tank of all sizes and species. Bare bottom with no areas of rest or retreat. I think it took him a few days to process his new quiet home full of caves, plants and space for himself. 
he’s incredibly aggressive to any movement outside the tank and actively goes after his neighbor fish next to his tank on either side whenever they come close.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Understood. CA Cichlids do not naturally come from such environments like you describe. They're just not phsychologically equipped to handle it. So, I suspect he will (like a lot of us), be dealing with a case of 'PTSD' from that experience for well.... a while.
But, I personally would keep him next to your _Hericthys_ in the other tank. Those knuckleheads are gonna display at each other and work off some steam biting at the glass and doing other such displays and visual acts of territorial aggression. Harmless stuff! It will keep 'em colored up nicely for you. And, will keep your JD from possibly sulking in a dark cave somewhere invisibly in the tank.
-
NOTE: * IF *your _Hericthys_ is mostly a (all?) Pearl Scale, _Hericthys carpintis_ male? It would - probably - stock well with the JD in a six foot long tank. Heck man, if you stock a nice group of 12-16, 4 to 6 inch long (adult-sized) Nasty Tetras (_Astyanx fasciatus_ 'Mexicanus') in that big, community tank first? You could probably stock with the two CAs in there (placed in at the same time) with NO casualties from anyone! But.... thats just NOT gonna happen if you actually have a 'true' Texas Cichlid, _Hericthys cyanoguttatus._ Those thugs just don't play nice with anyone (even in the wild!).


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## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

Auballagh said:


> Understood. CA Cichlids do not naturally come from such environments like you describe. They're just not phsychologically equipped to handle it. So, I suspect he will (like a lot of us), be dealing with a case of 'PTSD' from that experience for well.... a while.
> But, I personally would keep him next to your _Hericthys_ in the other tank. Those knuckleheads are gonna display at each other and work off some steam biting at the glass and doing other such displays and visual acts of territorial aggression. Harmless stuff! It will keep 'em colored up nicely for you. And, will keep your JD from possibly sulking in a dark cave somewhere invisibly in the tank.
> -
> NOTE: * IF *your _Hericthys_ is mostly a (all?) Pearl Scale, _Hericthys carpintis_ male? It would - probably - stock well with the JD in a six foot long tank. Heck man, if you stock a nice group of 12-16, 4 to 6 inch long (adult-sized) Nasty Tetras (_Astyanx fasciatus_ 'Mexicanus') in that big, community tank first? You could probably stock with the two CAs in there (placed in at the same time) with NO casualties from anyone! But.... thats just NOT gonna happen if you actually have a 'true' Texas Cichlid, _Hericthys cyanoguttatus._ Those thugs just don't play nice with anyone (even in the wild!).


His neighbors..
I'm still uncertain of my Texas cichlids actual identity. The more research I do, the more questions I seem to have rather than answers. As he/she grows though I am hopeful I'll have a better understanding of what specifically he is.
Funny enough, he was labeled a 'jack dempsey' when I purchased him. I think we're safe to rule that one out...


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## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

An updated image. Not much growth or change since last time but he's thriving. And yes I'm well aware the background is upside down -_-


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

It was all good. Everything was fine..... Then.....


Central said:


> And yes I'm well aware the background is upside down -_-


Oh no! Now I can't UNSEE it! (And your Jack Dempsey is looking pretty awesome these days also).


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## BlueLineAquaticsSC (Jul 16, 2021)

I read the first line in your post as “My new rescue, pickle” so I vote you name him Pickle


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## Martin545 (Oct 10, 2021)

nice fish, and so nice of you that you rescued it!






snaptube vidmate ​


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## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

Auballagh said:


> It was all good. Everything was fine..... Then.....
> 
> 
> Oh no! Now I can't UNSEE it! (And your Jack Dempsey is looking pretty awesome these days also).


No worries! I removed it and painted the back of the tank black! 
I'll post an updated photo soon.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Soon enough?
Hoping to see an updated picture of Pickle, your Jack Dempsey, with that swoopy new black background you put in for his tank!


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## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

Updated photo of Ulua from this week.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Oh wow.... that is a nice transformation from the original photos you posted up of this guy, to his current look. Whatever you're doing in keeping this guy, it's visibly working really well for him. Healthy and apparently quite happy, 'Ulua' is a great-looking Jack Dempsey!


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## 239601 (10 mo ago)

Superb looking Dempsey. What kind of food does he like?


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## Central (Jun 3, 2021)

TotoroTony said:


> Superb looking Dempsey. What kind of food does he like?


He mainly eats pellets and krill as his base diet. One of the more active Dempseys I've ever known. He has a 55 gallon to himself and uses ever inch of the tank, constantly swimming and exploring. Very aggressive too. He will bite the equipment when I am servicing the tank pretty much every time!


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## 239601 (10 mo ago)

He is bored. Needs some fish to chase like Silver Dollars...lol


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