Fish Identification: What Fish Is This??? Jack Dempsey?

[cichlidphilosopher]

Was at the fish shop today and saw this beaut but the name of the fish was not on the aquarium. Any ideas? I believe it is a Jack Dempsey or Electric Blue Jack Dempsey

 

[Colin_T]

The blue and black fish looks like a juvenile Jack Dempsey but not the normal colour form. It's one of the newer colour forms. They grow to 10-12 inches and kill things.

 

[Magnum Man]

Agree with Collin… the electric blue Jacks are supposed to be a bit more mellow than standard colors but still a tetra eater

 

[Ichthys]

Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, very peaceful, and very fragile (most die before maturity). You'd be lucky to get it past 5".

 

[Colin_T]

Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, very peaceful, and very fragile (most die before maturity). You'd be lucky to get it past 5".

How do you get a very peaceful Jack Dempsey?

 

[Ichthys]

How do you get a very peaceful Jack Dempsey?

EBJDs have a totally different personality to regular JDs. They're very placid and wouldn't last five minutes with aggressive cichlids.

 

[Colin_T]

EBJDs have a totally different personality to regular JDs. They're very placid and wouldn't last five minutes with aggressive cichlids.

How is that possible if they are the same species?
Every Jack Demspey I have come across have been raving psychos, although none were electric blues, they were all normal coloured and totally nuts.

 

[Ichthys]

My best guess is that their genetic mutation is not confined to genes controlling colour and shape.

I've kept both, including a good few EBs in shops, and behaviourally they're like two totally different species.

 

[Ram419]

Nice looking fish!

 

[Colin_T]

My best guess is that their genetic mutation is not confined to genes controlling colour and shape.

I've kept both, including a good few EBs in shops, and behaviourally they're like two totally different species.

I wonder if it's a hybrid, or the fish farms have been playing God and tinkering with the DNA and screwed something up.

 

[Wills]

I wonder if it's a hybrid, or the fish farms have been playing God and tinkering with the DNA and screwed something up.

I’ve suspected this especially since the first few commercial generations were weak have they crossed in an electric blue acara for some robustness

 

[Ichthys]

The hybrid case is strong, especially given the variety of shapes EBs come in, and all the problems they have, and the fact that no two have the same markings. DNA testing has revealed no other species but these tests have still only been done on females, and the genes involved could possibly be male only.
This link is an updated version of Nathan Hills opinions.. (it mentions the un-JD-like personality)...

Electric blues

Electric blues

www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk

 

[Ichthys]

I’ve suspected this especially since the first few commercial generations were weak have they crossed in an electric blue acara for some robustness

The EBA is a very weak hybrid. I doubt it's genes would add any robustness.