Electric Blue Dempsey

[Karmykle]

This is our new little guy. We have him (or her, I don't know enough to know) with 2 rainbow sharks, a botia, a goby, a columbian cat, and 2 pictus cats. Is it possible to get him a friend? We had an elephant nose who unfortunately died, and I don't know what I want to replace him with.


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[PassengerTN]

If I were to put a goby, or botia loach with my Jack he would slurp them down like spaghetti. As far as tank mates go, mine is with a Convict cichlid, Green Terror, 2 pictus, and a 5"+ Tinfoil Barb. I would suggest removing the Colombian cat, they should be in a brackish tank, same goes with the Goby depending on species.

 

[Karmykle]

I fell in love with this one, the guy at the fish store (small local owned, more of a specialty store) said he's non-aggressive. He's pretty much a loner; doesn't bother anyone. We do have some salt in our water, but it's still fresh, we know the Columbian will et huge and plan to move him as he grows. I guess I worded my question wrong... Could we get another blue guy... Or girl...


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[Karmykle]

I forgot to say thanks for replying. I am new to having a tank of my own, growing up we had tetras in a tank and chiclids in the other. Never any interesting fish.


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[Freakgecko91]

Electric blues are notoriously fragile and genetically weak. It's very difficult to raise them to adulthood, no matter the experience with fish and cichlids. Several members on here have tried them several times with no success. I would say stick with the one personally


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[PassengerTN]

Yeah EBJD's aren't as aggressive as normal JD, but the risk is still there for aggression. They're also quite fragile, and stay a little smaller in comparison. You could try giant danios, tiger barbs, hatchetfish, smaller plecos (bristlenose, clown). You can raise ebjd juvies together, but problems will arise especially if you end up with two males.

 

[Karmykle]

So it sounds like we should just get another elephant nose... Everything we have other than this one is a bottom feeder, so I was trying to change it up.


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[PassengerTN]

Danios, barbs, and hatchets are top swimmers.

 

[Freakgecko91]

What sized tank is this?

 

[ImACoolguy]

What sized tank is this?

+1 I'm thinking a 75+ gallon for that stock.

As the EBJD matures expect some aggression. My female Jack will try to eat anything you put with her so she lives alone.


Caleb

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[sinibotia]

Whatever kind of botia you have, you need 4 more. They're very social schooling fish.

 

[Karmykle]

Right now 30 gallon. We are planning to upsize as things grow. Thanks for the tip on the botia - we were told just to get one.


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[ImACoolguy]

I would get a bigger tank ASAP


Caleb

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[beeritself]

I have one in my 55 gallon. His tank mates are a red spotted golden severum, a green terror, a blue acara, and some clown loach. Very cool fish.

 

[Freakgecko91]

+1 I'm thinking a 75+ gallon for that stock.

As the EBJD matures expect some aggression. My female Jack will try to eat anything you put with her so she lives alone.


Caleb

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EBJD are not on the same aggression scale as regular JD, they are much more mellow


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[sinibotia]

Right now 30 gallon. We are planning to upsize as things grow. Thanks for the tip on the botia - we were told just to get one.


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Whoever told you that was dead wrong. They're more than just schooling; they have complex social behaviors with unique relationships and social hierarchies. Keeping them alone is like permanent solitary confinement for a person.

 

[Karmykle]

Oh no! Poor little guy... Does it have to be the same kind? Ours is a Redfin tiger loach (was sold to us as a fire fin botia), but I don't see them around a lot... I see the other ones, not sure the name of them.


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[sinibotia]

Oh no! Poor little guy... Does it have to be the same kind? Ours is a Redfin tiger loach (was sold to us as a fire fin botia), but I don't see them around a lot... I see the other ones, not sure the name of them.


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Oh, what you have isn't a true "botia". It's actually likely syncrossus berdmorei. They get very large- around 10 inches; and are quite aggressive. You're going to need a much bigger tank for them.

 

[Karmykle]

Ugh! Sounds like I am glad we switched stores. We only go to small mom & pops thinking they know better than petco. He was sold as a fire fin botia and we were told he was very passive. I wonder if he screwed with our elephant nose who was the gentlest fish we had and our iridescent shark who was beat up over night one night...


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[sinibotia]

Yeah, synchrossus is stereotypically the "aggressive" botiid loaches. I tend to think it is very likely that it was the culprit for beating up your fish.