How aggressive are Jack Dempseys?

[HeatherSweetness]

I'm curious about these things. I know they get really large,are they big and nasty? What would be good tank mates for them if any? I've been researching them and they say nothing of tank mates or the extreme of their aggression.

*note* I'm not going to start a tank of them or anything,I'm just pondering what types of cichlids I'd like to start getting into maybe in the future.

 

[LoveMyOscar]

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[HeatherSweetness]

Thanks LMO!

It sounds like they are pretty laid back compared to some of the nastier cichlids. They don't sound too terribly bad...Just the size of them!

 

[LoveMyOscar]

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[julia]

keep 't J.D.s they are not named after a boxer for nothing. oscars are far more laid back. all that said they are great fish, one on his own will be a friend for life!!!

 

[AquaSeaFoam]

There are Blue dempseys also. They are just a color variation but are supposed to be more laid back than the regular JDs. ABsolutely gourgeous too. Never seen one in real life though, only on the net...
http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gdempsey.html

 

[HeatherSweetness]

Now that is a beautiful dempsey. I have never seen them in real life either. Man they are pretty.

 

[Figure-8]

Like Lmo said they are a personality fish. I had one that was realy laid back and didnt bother any of them. Then i got a new one cause the other had died and he was so mean he killed a oscar that was 6in and he was only 4 at the time and killed the rest of the fish in my tank and i didnt even see no signs of him picking on them or anything.

 

[HeatherSweetness]

Good lord.

They remind me so much of people. Personalities vary.

 

[lucky62]

I kept mine[ the 1970s , 80s and 90s,different times different fish] with other new world and even jewel cichlids , from west africa . The JDs were my peace keepers , they didn't go after trouble [ not often anyway ], but could and sometimes would derail conflicts between other fish of different species . Green terrors , salvinis , for example.

I never had breeding pairs ."Definately have personality ". It's always nice to get them small and grow them .
Mine grew to about 7" before I traded them away .

Nowa days I stick to smaller fish . Less messy , less work .[I have children]

 

[lucky62]

Like Lmo said they are a personality fish. I had one that was realy laid back and didnt bother any of them. Then i got a new one cause the other had died and he was so mean he killed a oscar that was 6in and he was only 4 at the time and killed the rest of the fish in my tank and i didnt even see no signs of him picking on them or anything.

must have been a mailman in a previous life sorry to any mailmen and women , all in fun .

 

[sleepyflight]

Normal, blue, and red....so many colors to choose from. Jack's aren't too hard core....no comparison to a 6 in. Jaguar(managuense), just keep in mind who gets added first or last and who owns how much territory in the tank.