# Should I get a Jack Dempsey or an Oscar?



## Anna Moore (Mar 13, 2009)

I only have room for one giant fish, and cannot decide which to get! What are the pros and cons of each, and what would you get?


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

The Oscar has more personality but the JD is "prettier".

I had an Oscar and a JD in a 55g before and they got along great. They were best buddies...don't know why, but the Oscar quickly outgrew the JD, but he wouldn't mess with him at all. Put anything else in the tank and it was dead meat, but the JD could swim right up to him and he wouldn't give him a second look.


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## Anna Moore (Mar 13, 2009)

Thank you for responding so quickly! I'm leaning more toward the Oscar because of personality. Do Jacks have very unique personalities?


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

The Jack's do have a unique personallity no doubt, but not quite as much as the Oscar. I found my jack was a little more timid than the Oscar. The Oscar definately had the personallity of the two. I found in my case they were a good match with each other.

The best way I could describe the Oscar was like having a dog that lived in water...he would beg non-stop for food. He grew extremely fast though and I tried to slow down his feeding to "stunt" his growth, but that didn't work...he sat there begging for food that first day I cut down his feeding...when he realized I wasn't going to feed him he turned and ate one of my tiger barbs. Guess he showed me...

Couple things to remember about Oscars:

1. They grow EXTREMELY fast. Most will reach full size within a years time, or a little longer given the right conditions.

2. They get up to 12"+ and it's suggested to have at bare minimum a 55 gallon tank for one Oscar.

3. They poo a lot and it's big poo. Tank maintenance is going to be more than with most other fish.

4. They are messy and tend to tear up a tank. They'll dig up anything that's planted.

5. In MOST cases smaller fish are a bad idea. Most of the time smaller fish mean food for an Oscar. They are very opportunistic feeders and if they get hungry they'll eat. I had good luck with a smaller JD, but he'd stand his ground. Another good fish that I found works with Oscars is tinfoil barbs because they are quick enough to stay out of their way.

6. They eat a lot. I would go through food extremely fast with my Oscars.

7. Lots of people like to get them so they can feed them feeder fish. Unless you are growing your own feeder fish this is a bad idea. You feed an Oscar a sick feeder fish and you'll end up with a sick Oscar real fast. Sick feeder fish can kill your Oscar.

8. I would suggest making the decision whole heartedly before getting an Oscar because once you get them...they are yours. They are hard to get rid of. Most LFS won't take them after a few months because they are getting too big. Most people won't take them because they aren't the prettiest fish. Most people that will take them don't have near the tank to keep them.

I had trouble with my last one...I decided I didn't want him anymore because he got big and became king of the tank. I decided I wanted more than one fish in my tank and went back to africans. I had a hellacious time finding someone to take him. The LFS said they would take him but asked me to bring him down in a bucket and said they would keep him in it until they were able to find someone to take him...I actually liked the fish and refused to do that to him. I had several people that wanted to take him...only problem was they all had 10 gallon tanks and I wasn't about to pawn off a fish that was going to be 12" + to a person with a 10 gallon tank. That's just not cool.

Anyhow, I hope this helps you make your decision wisely.


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## Anna Moore (Mar 13, 2009)

It does help. Your post makes me lean more toward a pair of Jacks, but I just can't decide! lol


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## max77 (Jan 2, 2009)

In my experience, a green terror has the best of both qualities. Mine has a personality of an oscar and he is very pretty. They are also a little smaller. Just something to think about.


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

max77 said:


> In my experience, a green terror has the best of both qualities. Mine has a personality of an oscar and he is very pretty. They are also a little smaller. Just something to think about.


Good point...Oscars are like dogs that live in water, but they are very dumb dogs at best. They don't seem to be very smart and often times let their stomach do the thinking.


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## Anna Moore (Mar 13, 2009)

I hadn't thought of a Green Terror. They have nice personalities?


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

Mine was grate very personable but not unrelentingly codependent like Oscars tend to be.


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

I have an oscar, and if I were to choose again, it would be a JD.


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## MidNightCowBoy (May 7, 2007)

Anna Moore said:


> I only have room for one giant fish, and cannot decide which to get! What are the pros and cons of each, and what would you get?


What size tank are we talking about here?


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## imusuallyuseless (Dec 28, 2005)

MidNightCowBoy said:


> Anna Moore said:
> 
> 
> > I only have room for one giant fish, and cannot decide which to get! What are the pros and cons of each, and what would you get?
> ...


My question exactly. Please provide full details of tank size, filtration/water change schedule, current if any fish already in there, as well as their sizes/sexes.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

> They don't seem to be very smart and often times let their stomach do the thinking.


 :lol: Sounds like some people I work with. :lol: 
I would go Oscar , assuming you have the space for a 14" fish. I have owned several over the years and you can't beat them for personallity in a SA cichlid IMO :thumb: . Dempseys are a better looking fish, but grow slow and mostly act pretty lazy as adults. A plus though is that they don't get as large and aren't as messy as oscars. :wink: . It's up to you but once you own an Oscar you'll be hooked.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I love my JDs and boy do they have personality and beauty!


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## heylady (Oct 14, 2004)

I vote for an oscar too! Definitely a very interactive fish and frankly I like their looks. I'm rather partial to the red oscar, but the albinos are a close second and then there are the tigers.....
I have 2 O's right now and if I had the room, I'd get another!


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

MidNightCowBoy said:


> Anna Moore said:
> 
> 
> > I only have room for one giant fish, and cannot decide which to get! What are the pros and cons of each, and what would you get?
> ...


X2. Tank sze makes a huge difference. oscars can easily get 14'' long and fast. A JD may get 6-8'' slowly. A 55g is better suited for a JD or two, and a 75g is the smallest for a single oscar.


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