# Jack dempsey breeding behavior



## Blueiz (Sep 24, 2009)

I have a jack dempsey pair in a 55 g tank. Water parameters are ammonia-0, trites-0, and trates ~20. They have been together for several months now and are usually inseperable. Maybe the occasional nip. Today they are all out fighting, lip locking and all. The female is larger than the male and both of them are pretty torn up. Is this a sign that they are fixing to spawn? I know with my convict pair they did the same thing except it wasn't quiet this violent.

A little about the tank, there are slate caves and some driftwood so there is plenty of places for them to get away from each other if they want to.

This is my first jd pair, any advice would be appreciated. I'm going to be putting some melafix in the tank to help with their wounds. After watching them fight for hours, I put a divider in there tank. If this is indeed breeding behavior, I will take the divider out.


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## lmhollist (Aug 7, 2009)

JDs are Central American. You might want to repost this over in that folder if it doesn't get moved. :thumb:


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## Briguy (Aug 10, 2009)

The lip locking is how they determine if the potential mate is suitable and sometimes it does get pretty nasty. If they are doing significant damage to each other then they may have decided that they are not good mates and just want to chase the other off. I would keep the divider in until they start to heal and try it again.


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## Blueiz (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks for the responses. I rearranged the tank last night and added some salt at 1 tsp g because I didnt have enough melafix to help with the wounds. I took the divider out and so far they aren't paying each other any attention. If the fighting starts back, or looks like it is going to Ill put the divider back in. At this point from the advice given, I think I may have interupted there mating. The femals sex organ (cant for the life of me remember what is is called) is sticking out slightly which if I am correct from observing my angels spawn, this is a sign that shes going to lay eggs.

If I'm wrong in any of this please correct me, this is my first pair and first time owning JD's


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