Jack dempsey skittish

[wutchawant]

My one year old Dempsey is still very skittish. He freaks out anytime anyone walks up to the tank. He shares a 75 gallon tank with an adult Pleco. Is this normal behavior or will he eventually grow out of it.

 

[chew valley]

My one year old Dempsey is still very skittish. He freaks out anytime anyone walks up to the tank. He shares a 75 gallon tank with an adult Pleco. Is this normal behavior or will he eventually grow out of it.

They are usually very skittish. Mine is but is just a juvenile still but don't think they really grow out of that.

 

[rocksor]

That's normal. I've had 2 JDs. One would just stay in the corner , and another that would bolt across that tank whenever someone walked by. The skittish one stayed that way for 8 years even with dithers.

 

[Aski247]

Yup that's seems about right for the species. I have kept them off and on for over 10 years, it's one of my fav. Classic cichlids. But i have out grown them for this exact reason.

I can recommend some dither fish depending on the tank size. They should help him feel a little more at ease with all the extra movement in the tank.