Jack Dempsey

[Gourami Swami]

I wrote a short guide

Scientific name: 'Cichlasoma' octofasciatum (the " ' " means that the genus name is being changed or is under debate)

Common name: Jack Dempsey Cichlid

Distribution: Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras)

Rarity: Pretty common, It is not unlikely you will only have to go to one LFS to find one.

Difficulty: A very hardy fish if given clean water and enough room. Good for beginners to large american cichlids.

Feeding: Like most large american cichlids, Dempseys are monsters at feeding time. They will beg for food (and are quite hard to resist) but are messy eaters and must not be overfed. They should be kept on a staple cichlid pellet or stick, but given a varied diet containing meaty foods as well as vegetable matter. They will eat most live food you give them, such as bloodworms, earthworms, feeders (remember no store bought), and brine shrimp, as well as frozen supplements like Mysis shrimp, frozen bloodworms, and frozen Rotifers. You should also give them veggie matter occasionally such as peas, which full grown Dempseys will swallow in one bite.

Housing: A reletively large cichlid, growing to 8 or 9 inches when adult, they will need no less than a 55 gallon tank. They can be kept with other robust cichlids, and reportedly make wonderfull friends for Oscars in large enough tanks. There is a Blue color morph that grows a bit smaller and is more peaceful, and may be kept as a centerpeice in a community tank (no fish small enough to be dinner mind you) but still need 55 gallons. Regular Dempseys are very aggressive and very strong, so keep with fish that are likewise. Plants are likely to be uprooted, and the Dempsey, If it is large enough, may want to do a bit of redecorating, so dont spend a half an hour constructing a stone temple.

Maintenance: messy and produce a lot of waste, so a big filter is recommended, especially if kept in a bigger tank with bigger fish. Do decent water changes (say 30% per week on a 55 gallon) to keep water quality high.

Conditions: temperature should be retained at 76-80* feirenheit, with a lower pH, around 7.0, thogh they will probably be happy in a more stable pH, even as high as 8.0. Put a peice of driftwood in the tank and I wouldnt worry about pH or hardness.
I wrote a short guide
Lifespan: Treat your JD right, and you may be looking at a 10 year old fish.

Comments: What a fish! I am partial to the large robust cichlids of central and south america, so Dempseys are my cup of tea! They are beautiful fish, even more so when in breeding color (and the blue morph is stunning) and they grow large enough to impress any house guest. Dempseys are very fun fish to have and can live in a 55 gallon aquarium with tankmates for life. A good beginners cichlid, and one of those fish that fall into the category of "wet pet", meaning they are very smart, owner responsive, and can even be taught to be petted! Overall a great cichlid and one that anyone who is willing o give the time can enjoy!