Jack Dempsey

[99z22]

I have got a 29 gallon tank which i had now for a few weeks and used some zebra danios to help with the cycle , they seem to be fine , I recently visited my LFS , and was told that i would be able to keep a Jack dempsey with theses danios , so i bought it , they seem to be getting along fine but i was wondering if this will stop and will the JD turn them into lunch , Also is a 29 gallon large enough to house the JD , or am i better off trying to give the JD to someone with a larger tank or back to the LFS.

29 gallon
2 zebra danios
1 leopard danio
1 Jack dempsey ?

 

[Managuense]

IMO the jack dempsey is just a bit too large for a 29 gallon. the males reach about 8 inches and are very robust......they are more suited to a 55 gallon or larger.

however, there are other cichlids that would go great with your danios that are just as cool as the jacks.

convicts are great cichlids for smaller set-ups.....a pair would do fine in your 29 gallon.

there are a lot of other choices including shell dwellers, kribs, curviceps, a pair of angels, rams, a pair of julidochromis (like transcriptus, ornatus)

it depends upon what you want in a tank........

is your set-up planted? or does it have driftwood? etc.

fill us in a bit more.
M

 

[phOOey]

the dempsey is possibly my favourite fish i always like going to my lfs where they have to blue damseys and a regular one, unfortunately ive never been able to keep one, i may get one for my 50g im gettin 4 xmas though , yeah i'd say the dempseys should be fine with the danios as the danios r so quick, but he will outgrow the tank eventually, i would take him back change it for any of the fish managuense suggested

 

[Avalon]

Yes, the JD will get too big. You could keep him for a while, but eventually, you will have to find him a new home. Jack Dempsey's get much, much larger than 8". I saw one a fish store a few blocks off of Central Expressway in downtown Dallas that was at least 14"--no kidding! He was the most beautiful fish I've ever seen! The coloration was magnificent, and resulted in me keeping Jacks!

You might also try Jewel cichlids in addition to Mana's list.

 

[Managuense]

a 14 inch jack???? are you sure?

now hey! i am up for something i have never seen before, but the LARGEST males i have seen were 11 inches, and they were monsters!

all of the ones i have raised never passed 8 inches.

are you 100% sure?

if so, that this wacked out man! i would love to see one that size.

a 14 incher would NOT be representative of their adult size as a whole though, i promise you that.....
M

 

[Avalon]

Man I'm serious! He was huge--I didn't even know they got that big! I figure he was as old as the hills, but he still looked good! He was in a large tank with a very large Albino Oscar (about 11-12"). The JD was just chillin in a hole he dug out next to a lone piece of carved rock.