# Why does my Jack Dempsy Hide?!



## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)

Hey guys - I have a 55 gallon tank. Single JAck dempsy with two Pleckos. My JD is about 9-10" long, and its been alone for about a year now. Any other fish (usually smaller) that I have tried in there, it has killed / eaten.

My question is - why is this JD so timid? Every time I walk by the tank I'll catch "Frank" swimming, but he/she immediately swims to the corner, backs in, changes to a dark colour, and ferociously moves his/her fins backwards, as to move as far away from the action as possible. This makes it very "boring" to have this fish in the tank, as I never get to enjoy him/her swimming around.

How can I change this? Is there anything I can do?

Thanks,

Dave


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

If you can, post a picture of his tank...

The one thing I've foudn to have the biggest impact at makign a fish seem less skitish is to paint the back & sides of a tank. Doing this makes the fish feel far less vulnerable and allows his entire tank to feel like a safe corner.

I've also found the more decor a tank has the less the fish feel they need to hide in it...


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## gnomemagi (Jun 13, 2009)

^^ Agree on above points.

Fast moving dither fish might help. Giant danios are quick and large enough to generally not be eaten. Silver dollars are another option. These fish might make the Dempsey feel like it is safe to come out.


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## **CHRIS** (Jul 3, 2009)

giant danios will help i have 6 big ones in with my pair and it help dramaticly with the skitishness.... they are the only thing my dempseys havent been able to catch... there lighting fast and never stop moving... GL


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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)

Sounds good guys - I have a wallpaper at the back of the tank simulating under water conditions (I suppose). I guess I'll post a pic, do a tank clean, test the water and get some giant danios. I was under the impression that my JD would kill anything in the tank. Any way I can tell the sex of my JD?

Cheers,

Dave


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

The easiest way to sex a JD is by the coloring on their gill plates:

Male= smaller bright spangles on the upper gill plate/ under thier eye.
Female= splochy whide spangels on the lower gill plate/ lower jaw line

My description may not be the best and it is not always that easy to tell. Search the threads, there are many topics on sexing JDs. Also post some pics and people will be able to give their opionon on the sex.

Thanks,
Matt


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## **CHRIS** (Jul 3, 2009)

these are mine... very obvious difference... its not a 1000% way to tell i have seen some females without the blue on the gill plates and males with it on the gill plates but it a pretty good way to tell....

male









female


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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)

Thanks for the info - i'll post pics and a video in a minute


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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)

Need 5 posts to post URL's / links.


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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)

here is number 5!


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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)

Great pics! I used my cell phone and took a video of his skiddishness.

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n260 ... nt=2-1.flv

I also took some other pictures - I believe him to be a male from his colouring and his size (has to be 9-10 inches, *** had him for a few years now).

Thanks for your comments guys, I will go grab some giant danios to keep him company / active - How many should I get? Other options?

Cheers,

Dave


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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)




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## Daveowen (Dec 21, 2005)




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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

I find JD's are very reclusive. It's a shame really. A gorgeous fish that never wants to come out.


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

Mine are always out and about...unless you move really quick and startle them....or you aren't the source of food. :lol:


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## jagz (Nov 1, 2009)

Reclusive??? I have never found dempseys to be reclusive. I have had dempseys for over 20 yrs and they always swim to the front of the tank every time I walk in the room. I'm sure there are exceptions though.


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## love-my-fish (Nov 26, 2009)

Daveowen said:


> Hey guys - I have a 55 gallon tank. Single JAck dempsy with two Pleckos. My JD is about 9-10" long, and its been alone for about a year now. Any other fish (usually smaller) that I have tried in there, it has killed / eaten.
> 
> My question is - why is this JD so timid? Every time I walk by the tank I'll catch "Frank" swimming, but he/she immediately swims to the corner, backs in, changes to a dark colour, and ferociously moves his/her fins backwards, as to move as far away from the action as possible. This makes it very "boring" to have this fish in the tank, as I never get to enjoy him/her swimming around.
> 
> ...


Hello Dave in Ontario.... I have the same problem with my JD male about the same size as yours. 75 gallon tank with 2 large albino pleco's..... I just recently put a 3.5 to 4 inch female in the tank with him because i was getting bored and thought maybe he needed a friend... Well so far he's been pretty tolerant of her and it's working out okay... i was hoping it would help him come out more... It has a little but not a great lot....
1. Do you have your tank lights on above your tank and are they bright? I noticed that when i have my lights on he won't come out, only when i turn a lamp on next to the tank and then he slowly comes out and gets more comfy. 
2. Recently i added another big ceramic pot and a bit more rock to hide behind and he seems to be out a bit more.... But of course not like i want.... 
So for me what seems to be helping the most is turning on a lamp.....
The female has no issues at all.......
Good luck and take care


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## jagz (Nov 1, 2009)

I would try a small group of dither fish. This will help your dempsey to come out of his "shell" if you will and not be so sketchy.


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## Burtle (Dec 25, 2004)

In my experience JDs prefer to lay low if not in community or pair.


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## Diaster (Aug 17, 2009)

JD's are skittish get a breeding a pair and that will go away try feeding a single pellet when you near the tank he will think he is getting fed when you show up and swim just dont do it to much


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

I think dithers help a lot. My tiger barbs are such gluttons they immediately swarm to the front of the tank when I approach it. The barbs were the first fish in the tank. When I added my firemouth, JD and salvini (I added all 3 at the same time) it only took them a day or two to take a cue from the tigers about not being shy. They are always out and about in the tank and will come up to the glass when I approach the tank.


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## lilman19 (Nov 6, 2011)

I would like to upload a picture can some1 tell me plz n thax its bout my jd i wanna know if male or female


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## ccol74 (Aug 13, 2006)

My JD is not the least but skittish, they are always swimming around and ate always out in the open. They are still small though.


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## Andy Somnifac (Jun 1, 2005)

illy-d said:


> I find JD's are very reclusive. It's a shame really. A gorgeous fish that never wants to come out.


The manufacturer's product pages can be found at: http://aquatop.com/Aquarium_Filtration.html


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## friedrice5005 (Jul 16, 2011)

My JDs were very skiddish when by they were by them selves in the tank. I tried putting in Giant Danios but they killed them within a few hours (I have no idea how they caught them) I finally put a couple of convicts in with them and it did wonders. They won't fight the convicts because they fight back and it encourages them to come out. But with a 55gal I'm not sure you could pull that off. If you could probably get older danios that are already too big to be eaten.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

jeaninel said:


> dithers


I think about all you can do, is add some more fish. Tiger barbs or giant danios can perform the dither role quite well......though there is a good chance they may get eaten or killed.

I have a male jewel in my 29 gal. that is often quite sacared, for no appaernat reason. He's been that way since i removed him from my 180 gal. and placed him into the 29 gal., because he was no longer able to defend himself from the male CA in the 180 gal. tank. Anyways, I moved 3 young mbuna out of the 29 gal., and this jewel went completely "stupid". Couldn't even tip- toe into the room with out him running into the glass :x Worst case of the 'heebee-jeebees' i've ever seen. The rest of the tank, as well, followed his lead and was often quite scared. I was going to buy a group of paradise fish to calm him down.....but the fish is not that available around here anymore. Over a month went by and i finally addressed this unhealthy problem, and purchased 5 blue gouramis. The tank is 1000 X better with with the new 'dithers'.


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## Aquatic Aggression (Sep 26, 2011)

Try some floating plants. It may sound a little cruel but remove some of the items he hides behind.


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