If you don’t like tank mates that fight, then the Jack Dempsey Cichlid isn’t right for you. This fish hail from Central America. And yes, name is derived from boxing champ who shared same name.
Its appearance; dark with bright yellow/orange coloration, draw people in as new cichlid keeper. However, they aren’t prepared for fights to come. Be warned that it are an aggressive animal and a predator, not piece of decoration.
This is not a community tank fish. It’s not for an inexperienced cichlid keeper either. It deserve to have space and a keeper that understand cichlid behavior.
A common mistake many people make is keeping it with other small, non-aggressive fish such as barbs or tetras. That won’t work. Those fish will get hurted and the other tank inhabitant will be stressed.
Complete Guide To Jack Dempsey Cichlid Care
Understanding Jack Dempsey Aggression
This isn’t a “pet” type of fish. It has social hierarchy needs and environmental trigger needs. Feed it and forget about it?
No. You’ll have trouble with this high-maintenance fish if you does that. Be strategic, be patient with this high-maintanance animal. Aggression is also reduced by setting up the proper environment.
Tank Size and Environment Setup
One fish require at least a 50 gallon tank. Larger tanks is preferred since more water = more dilution of stress hormones. Provide your fish with plenty of space to establish his/her own territory.
Create a tank that has lots of thick plants and rock structure. These will blocks their view of one another and let them hide during tense moment. Open water without hiding place mean continuous fighting.
Diet and Feeding Strategies
The temper of the fish can be controlled by its diet, at least in part. Jack Dempseys is opportunistic predator. They are also not shy about eating.
An angry Jack Dempsey is usualy a hungry Jack Dempsey. If it perceives another fish as competition or even food, then it may bother that fish. Feed the fish high quality pellet foods and occasional frozen blood worms.
Feeder shrimp make for good occasional treat. This will keep the fish fed and less prone to fighting. It will also simulate natural feeding behavior which will engage them and prevent boredom.
Boredom cause aggression. Engaging the fish with meals is therefore a useful way to manage it. What do I mean by this?
Choosing Compatible Tank Mates
Where most novice go wrong is in their choice of tank mates. If you pick fish that aren’t too big to eat, too fast to catch, or too aggressive to be bothered, you’re asking for trouble. For example, there are catfish species (such as the Redtail Catfish) that gets really big and would of make good tankmates for Jack Dempseys provided aquarium is sufficiently large.
Even some other large cichlid might work out (e.g. Midas Cichlids; Oscars), since these guys tend to respect one another and come to a rough agreement. But stay away from small, slow-moving fish. To the Jack Dempsey, it’s food…not a neighbor.
Why? Instinct. Not malice.
You can’t reprogram predators not to pursue prey. You have to select compatible companions, those that aren’t on the menu. Caring for these fish becomes complicated when breeding them.
Breeding and Pair Bonding
Jack Dempseys breed in pairs and stays together for life. If you has a male and female, they’ll be a strong unit. It’ll protect their space from anyone…
Even other big fish. Here’s the problem: juvenile fish is difficult to determine gender. Keeping multiple males together result in deadly battles.
A single male or a bonded pair work best for most keeper. Accept that your pair will rule over whole tank. Jack Dempsey Cichlids do best when your expectations is managed.
First, understand that you don’t have a passive fish, you’re dealing with an intelligent, instinctive animal. And yes, aggression is in its DNA. It’s not a defect; it’s just what they do.
So long as you give them room, feed them properly, and select compatible tank mates, you’ll be able to direct their energy toward normal behavior. In return, you gets an awesome, interactive pet to watch. Respect the champ.
