# Sex of Jack Dempsey



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

How do you sex a Jack Dempsey? Mine is 2 years old and 6" long, and doesn't have a cranial hump.


----------



## auratum (Jul 6, 2006)

Jack Dempseys usually don't develop a "cranial hump". A fairly reliable indicator is the amount and type of blue spotting on the lower gill cover. Large blotches usually indicates female and lack of spotting would indicate male. Most JD's are somewhere in between but if you post a picture of your fish showing clearly that area of the fish people on here like to guess for you on the sex of the fish.


----------



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Hmm alright, and I tried doing that, but when I tried posting the Facebook link, it just brought up the WHOLE ablum, not the one picture of the Jack Dempsey


----------



## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

Sign up for Photobucket.com and upload your pictures there. Easier to share pictures on that forum that way. Plus you get to hide your personal Facebook page.


----------



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

I will do that, so let me know if you see one in a little bit!


----------



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Ok I think I got it. Ignore my album name though haha

http://s1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc4 ... 277_o1.jpg


----------



## auratum (Jul 6, 2006)

I would guess female based on the picture.


----------



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

Hmm that is my thought. Thanks!


----------



## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Whith you JD I find it difficult to determine the sex. How big is your JD? Was the picture taken while the JD was stressed (i.e. being moved or just after)?

Thanks,
Matt


----------



## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

I think female also. It does look stressed and the fins are nipped up. What tank mates is she in with?


----------



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

It is 6" now. And yep, I had just put it in the 29 gallon (for JUST a week, don't worry). It has a very shy personality with me anyways....All the stuff I've done for it in 2 (almost 3) and it still hates meh... :-?


----------



## scarhbar (Feb 17, 2011)

And jeaniel, I actually rescued it from a tank with a 12" oscar, and some vicious african cichlids. It was almost dead when I got it  but I put her in a 55 with a nicer male convict, and they actually do spawning behaviours with out all the aggresive liplocking, and charging. She will have ugly fins forever though


----------



## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

If I had to guess I would say female but the JD looks stressed and pretty beat up so that makes it harder to sex.

I find JDs have long memories and when you move them to different tanks or even change something in their current tank, stresses them out and they stay skittish for a few weeks. So my advice is stop moving her and keep her in the same tank and if you do add tank mates, make sure the tank mates aren't anyone who can stress her.


----------



## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

female.

my alpha female









secondary female









one of my previous ones








somewhat similar to yours


----------



## jegrego1 (Jan 24, 2011)




----------

