Jack Dempsey and Oscar

[5x5]

I am sorry if I came across harsh but that is far from an ideal set up. Just because you've seen it work doesn't mean you should go around suggesting it. A 55 is just fine one full grown JD maybe a pair but thats even pushing it. A Oscar needs a minimum of 75 gallons with at least 2+ water changes per week. Depending on what type of plecos ( my guess is common) they could need a huge tank.

Tanks should be stocked for full adult size of the fish.

I agree 100%. I don't know if the aggression or the bioload is the bigger problem...but they are both big problems in a tank this size.

 

[IvanMike]

IME jack dempseys are a lot more aggressive than oscars. I've found oscars to be kind of big bully/wimps. They can dish it out, but can't take it quite as well as a lot of the larger central americans that people house them with. Sometimes you get lucky, often you don't. I've had reasonably good luck with oscars being the largest fish in the tank, but even then - when you're talking about housing oscars with other fish you're talking 125 gallons.

I'd choose one or the other.

 

[HUKIT]

Absolutely 100% in no way is that advisable, do not post about things you do not know/understand. That tank is a aggression and water parameter nightmare. If poor water conditions do not kill those fish they will kill each-other after they start to sexually mature and claim territories.

I was asked by a friend to look at this post and Mog stated the correct advice very eloquently(much better than my rants) but I also agree that tank is doomed first with poor water quality followed by 1-3 fish leaving in a box due to aggression, and the last one is possible stunted growth. I'm not sure of which three is worse, but I'd make a break for it if I was swimming around in there.

 

[kyuubi3160]

Well I have my JD moved in and he is settling nicely, found one at petsmart that was about 5" already probably someone returned him when he got too big. Not much of a suprise though because the woman at petsmart didn't ask me a single question about tank size or the other fish I have, just scooped him up and sent me on my way. I'll post a pic soon.

Also, my friends tank is not as big as he led me to believe so I still have my rainbow shark. So far there are no problems but I have another tank to relocating it to if there's any trouble.

 

[Mogurako]

The shark and JD may do ok just keep an eye on them. Post pictures!

 

[IvanMike]

Nice - you can get some awesome "he got too big" fish. Often you can search local classifieds and get them free or for 5 bucks if you go pick them up. (Just quarantine them and see how it goes). I've rescued many a fish from idiots that way - I've even gone so far as to be at someone's house with an oscar stuck in a 20 gallon tank full of debris and talking to them found that they were kinda sick of it and ended up going home with it - (this only works if you have the tank room BTW)

 

[ozmo]

...I've even gone so far as to be at someone's house with an oscar stuck in a 20 gallon tank full of debris and talking to them found that they were kinda sick of it and ended up going home with it - (this only works if you have the tank room BTW)

That reminded me of an auction currently on eBay Australia that I came across just yesterday. These people need flogging IMO!!

Check it out: FISH TANK 2FT | eBay

I think that poor Oscar and his little Convict buddy will be dead before the auction is complete.

 

[kyuubi3160]

Finally managed to get a decent picture. He's still getting used to me so its hard to get close enough for a pic.

The blur behind him is one of my giant danios. They will all be at my friends by tomorrow.

I was in a hurry to get the JD before he killed the convict that was in the tiny tank with him at petsmart. I checked on them at the store all week and the last time I went before I purchased him the convict was up in the corner and the JD was still going up and picking at him. I think I may have been too late though because the convict was gone the next day when I bought him.

 

[ozmo]

That's a nice looking JD. Looks like he could be a split.

 

[jetajockey]

That does not look like a jack dempsey to me. I only keep JDs though, no other medium/large cichlids so I'm not very good at I.D.ing the other species.

 

[Mogurako]

JD and GT hybrid?

 

[jetajockey]

Maybe. I don't know. In the face it kinda looks like a male JD but everything behind that is different.

Here's one of my 4-5" male JD's. He has almost a solid blue pattern on his sides when he's over a dark substrate, but none of that striping or pink.

 

[kyuubi3160]

That does look different from mine. Well now I'm really curious to know what exactly I've got my hands on. If you could help me figure that out it'd be great. I have more pics here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f100/jack-dempsey-or-hybrid-168682.html

 

[IvanMike]

Looks all JD to me - there are many geographical variants, but it could be a hybrid I suppose. Nice looking fish in any event. That fish oozes nasty right through the monitor though - looks like a killer.

 

[Mogurako]

So I ran this by someone who knows cichlids much better than I and it seems like a jack Dempsey / red terror mix. No matter what it is your fish is very stunning

 

[ozmo]

So I ran this by someone who knows cichlids much better than I and it seems like a jack Dempsey / red terror mix. No matter what it is your fish is very stunning

I was thinking that also due to the similar connecting stripes near the head that almost form Y shape.

 

[HUKIT]

I'll take the credit/heat he sent ms the photo earlier, I was torn between a Mayan and Festae based on the height of the black blotch and y-bar.

 

[kyuubi3160]

So I ran this by someone who knows cichlids much better than I and it seems like a jack Dempsey / red terror mix. No matter what it is your fish is very stunning

I think your right. It has a lot of characteristics in common with a red terror. I think the mystery is solved!
I agree he is a very good looking fish, he immediately caught my eye at the store. I'll be very interested in watching him grow now to see how his colors develop. I'll be sure to post a pic when he is full size!

 

[Aquadestroyer]

I wonder who let the hybrid happen ? Terrors are hard to get a hold of right?

 

[kyuubi3160]

I'm not sure if it is a hybrid anymore... Its stripes and spots are fading a little and the blue spots are spreading and getting brighter. I think it may have still been stressed from the store and the move to my aquarium.

Also I have been looking around the internet and found a number of images/videos of juvenile JDs that also have faint stripes and a red tinge to the tail and fins.
The fish in this video is very similar to mine except it has no fin extensions: Jack Dempsey Cichlid (female) - YouTube
(pictures of other JDs i've found online)