My new fish

[cbourg746]

Been a while since I had one of these so I decide to try my luck again. Electric blue jack Dempsey are not the hardiest of fish but something draws me to them whenever I see them. They were the last two left of a local breeders most recent spawn so I figured I would snatch them up.

 

[HUKIT]

I wish you luck, I've never had any reach the mythical 3-4" mark.

 

[cbourg746]

I wish you luck, I've never had any reach the mythical 3-4" mark.

They are pushing the 3"'mark now. If they were smaller I don't think I would've went for them. I also have never had any reach the 3-3.5" mark. They usually died around 2.5-3".

 

[Paxlerod]

EBJD broke my heart. I left the hobby little over 20 years ago when Asian Arrowanas was the craze. There were some form of cross breeding because I vaguely remember the start of the Parrot Cichlid. I came back to see that Asian Arrowanas are very illegal, Parrot are even uglier than before and the discovery of the Flowerhorn. Ignorantly I first thought that it was an amazing looking fish and had to have one. Then I came to realize the repercussions of its creation.
I also fell in love with the EBJD. I purchased 5 and placed them in a 60 gallon by themselves with plenty of caves and plants. They looked amazing and began growing. When they got to 1.5" one disappeared. At 2" one seemed to lose his ability to swim, stopped eating, floated to the surface and died. But I was left with 3 beautiful 3" stunning fish and the future looked great. BUT, out of nowhere after one of my weekly PWC I find one floating, curled up and barely breathing the other two stop eating. Eventually at the 9 month and 3.5" mark I am left with one and he looks haggard. Far from the beauty he once was. I take the tank apart and start moving him to a 40 gallon with 3 breeding albino corydoras to live out his early retirement. While I am making the move, I find the original EBJD that went MIA months prior and that bugger is still 1.5" and pretty but can't quite swim right. The lil guy dies within two weeks of his resurrection. But the lone survivor is hanging in there. Now we are coming on one year and he is 3.75". BUT now he is right now struggling to swim, floats to the surface and only eats if the food is in front of his face. I do not expect him to last. The first four months I had them they were my little show pieces now I am apprehensive of trying it again. Good luck.



Gorgeous




They had such an amazing blue.



If someone gets around to fixing a healthy strain of EBJD I want to be first in line.

 

[paulahan]

So beautiful, I would also like to raise a few, I do not know you in trouble, how long can also live.

 

[cbourg746]

My story has been much the same with these fragile fish. I don't know if it's the actual fish or the determination to have one flourish that keeps me coming back to them. What ever it is I hope these guys make it. They sure did cost enough.

 

[Paxlerod]

My story has been much the same with these fragile fish. I don't know if it's the actual fish or the determination to have one flourish that keeps me coming back to them. What ever it is I hope these guys make it. They sure did cost enough.

Can't agree with you more. This weekend at an auction I was tempted to get another batch. If it wasn't for my upcoming move I may have.

 

[HUKIT]

Even if they make it past the 4" mark there have been no reports of fish living more than a few years. I've got friends in the club that have grown them to 6-7" only to have them stop eating and wither away. I'm personally done with any fish that is destined to die at a early age, my tank space is to important.

 

[5x5]

I'm currently growing out two of these as well. One is just over 3" and the other is approaching 2". I've heard much of the problems listed in this thread, but was curious to experience it myself.

I've had an alright experience so far. I treated for parasites once when I saw some suspicious behavior and eating habits, but otherwise it's been going well.

 

[cbourg746]

I drip acclimated them yesterday for over an hour after I did a 70% water change on the tank they were going in. I did not feed last night but this morning they literally ate out of my hand. I will keep y'all up to date on their progress.

 

[Paxlerod]

They are beautifully stunning fish and very mild mannered but when they go they go. My lone survivor is about 3.85" and is at this point about 14 -15 months old. He looks like an old man a big difference from the striking fish he was at 6 months. Sadly maybe that is just there lifespan.

 

[cbourg746]

There they are tonight!!! Loving the caves but swimming around like a champ.