Jack Dempsey?

[KonvictKeeper]

OK, so I've finally decided what I want to do. I have thought of everything, SW, oscar, GBRs... But I've finally decided I want a JD. So I crossed off the SW idea -too much work and I'm a little short on money. I've also checked off the oscar because they are just so messy. I don't want GBRs because I hear they are quite difficult. I want a JD (or two?). The are fairly clean, big, and carnivorous. EVERYTHING I want. I have two 55 gallon tanks and what I think is an XH 60 (it's like 2' tall). Should I use the long or the tall? I think I'm going to run a Marineland Emperor 400. Will that work? Sorry about all the questions.

 

[KonvictKeeper]

Someone? Anyone?

 

[DragonFish71]

Use the long tanks. JDs tend to stay mid to lower in the tank.

I love my JDs, you made a good choice. They are very easy to keep and quite friendly. Mine like to be petted and will eat pellets out of my hands. Mine didn't grow to their expected length, which is fine, they're about 6 inches each.

 

[KonvictKeeper]

Alright thanks! I've heard that some people's don't grow more than 7". I only have enough tankage (yes I said tankage) for one right?

 

[Batt4Christ]

I've not owned JD's, though have been around them. They are quite beautiful, especially in good conditions and the right light.

I second the use of a 55. As they mature, Dempsies like to set up territories and then just kind of "hang out". The longer 55 is more suited.

Thy also will sometime utilize cover- plants or large caves.

Are you going to do live plants?

I hope you will start a thread (or just update this one) as you go through all the setup and take pictures!

 

[Batt4Christ]

Oh- and all "carnivores" have relatively high bioload. Dempises are somewhat less so than oscars (which I have kept)

 

[KonvictKeeper]

I don't plan on having live plants, and if I did have them I wouldn't have them very long

 

[DragonFish71]

Actually, they do very well with plants.

Mine grew up in a planted 55 then got moved to a planted 120. They don't bother the plants at all.


As for your tankage question, yes. One for the 55. I know to some it seems like a waste of space but you can have other fish in there.

Giant danios make great "space taking" fish for JD tanks. They don't get too big and are very active. They are mid to top dwellers

Pictus catfish or synodontis catfish. Both stay reasonably sized and are fun to watch.

A few clown loaches or even dojo loaches. I keep clowns with my JDs and dojos with my firemouths. The weather (dojo) loaches get larger than the golden dojos. They also burrow if you have a sand substrate.

I'm just giving you some options so that it doesn't seem like wasted space.

 

[KonvictKeeper]

Ok cool, I was think that a 55 with one fish would be a waste of space. So those danios wouldnt become a meal? I'm thinking I'll get a few of them and a pictus. Is that overstocked?

 

[DragonFish71]

If you get your JD while he's small he'll learn they aren't food. They get about 3-4 inches max and are very fast. JDs are fast but they can't out maneuver a GD

Put the danios in your tank first, let them grow into it then add your JD and catfish. You could get away with a school of 8 GDs, 1 JD and one pictus.

 

[Aquaponic cowboy]

I had three jds in one tank and the slightly larger more dominant colored jd (lurch) eventually killed the other two. Even with time to hide and recover he just grew too powerful too fast and got them. He was getting more food so if you keep more than one jd make sure they are the same size and try to keep feeding even...as impossible as that is.

He grew up with several africans too. Big red zebra. Big male bumble. Female bumble. And a male jewel. There was a yellow lab female with them that no one paid attention to being so chill and passive. She was moved to the lab tank. Try other fish at risk. There are no problems with the jd in my tank...the Africans are the ones that fight.

Lurch is my favorite fish, I love him like you would a dog. Very clean fish. Kept in a 40g bow front. He loves his cave and follows me around the room. Will eat from my hand...very softly. Not like my tiger Oscar that has to leap out of the tank at the feeder and splash his tail fin on purpose. He's a messey sob too. Buuuut...if you're torn between the jd and the Oscar I would just get both...in seperate tanks. The Oscar is still a very impressive fish that does have more going on in it's head than most fish. The Oscar loves me and hates my wife, also hates live plants.

I admit it's odd at times to look over your shoulder and there are two different large fish just locked onto to you at all times.

 

[KonvictKeeper]

Thanks alot!! I do plan on getting him at 2-3 inches (the size my LFS sells). So I don't think he'll be able to hurt them. I'm not really worried about him bothering the cat.