Jack Dempsey Or A Blue Acara

[snowflake311]

So I might be getting a 55 Gal tank. I have had a thing for the jack dempsey ever since I took care of one at the Vets office I worked at 4 years ago. Yes we have one in the waiting room. He or she was with 2 oscars and the jack was shy. I think the others picked on him.

Now these guys can get 10" and are aggressive. How aggressive are they I mean i know they were named after a boxer for a reason but...? Could I keep other tank mates with him or is the 55 gal too small for one Jack and some other fish. Could I just keep one Jack maybe a pleco of some kind and another larger catfish? Or could I keep a jack and another aggressive cichlid like a green terror or a less aggressive fire mouths? Could a Jack can't live in a community with cory cats?

Or I also like the Blue Acara. Anyone have any personal info on them because I have looked them up but I want to know from people first hand how they are. I think I would rather have a the Blue Acara but I have never seen them in stores near me. I see Jacks all the time and I love the way they look. I'm so torn.......


Could someone throw out some cichlid stocking ideas for a 55 gal tank? I'm leaning towards the blue acara but I do love the jack.... Help make sense of this of this. I want to have only south American fish. I like having a school to watch.

I need ideas .....

 

[snowflake311]

So no one has any stocking ideas for me.

 

[shroob]

Be patient, its only been 3 hours since your original post , people have work or other things.

If you go down the jack dempsey route I'd really only stock it with dithers. You could do a jack dempsey + a smaller growing plec eg. bristlenose and a shoal of giant danio's or similar. Tank size would rule out the possibility of a JD + GT, both aggressive large growing fish. You might have luck with a firemouth, but it depends on the individual personality of both fishes, if you were to mix a JD and FM I'd get them both young so they grow up together.

The blue acara option is open to more possibilites, they are in general more peaceful than jack dempseys and can be kept with a wide range of fish eg. you could have a south american biotope (blue acara, school of tetra, school of cory's, even other medium/peaceful cichlids eg. festivum). Or you could do a blue acara + another new world cichlid such as a firemouth. Theres quite a few stocking options.

There is the chance you could do both a blue acara and a jack dempsey in the same tank, it would be fairly risky and depend on the aggressiveness of the Jack dempsey but the combination isn't unheard of. With plenty of water changes I think a 55 gallon could house both - 10" isn't unheard of for a JD male, but its a rareity, 8" is more likely the top size for a JD.

 

[Davo86]

Be patient, its only been 3 hours since your original post , people have work or other things.

or need their beauty sleep

Could someone throw out some cichlid stocking ideas for a 55 gal tank? I'm leaning towards the blue acara but I do love the jack.... Help make sense of this of this. I want to have only south American fish. I like having a school to watch.

other smaller cichlids could be a Sajica or Rainbow Cichlid.

suggested SA dithers could be Buenos Airies Tetra, or what I have in with mine; Colombian tetras.
If you went for the Blue Acara you should be ok with a small group of hatchet fish for the surface,

 

[snowflake311]

Thanks guys I just would see people looked at my post but no one said anything so I got sad. Sleep whats that. I miss it I have a 3 month old. so I'm up at weird hours bored and waiting for her to sleep so I can.

Anyways I live in the USA and I don't know were I would find a Blue acara I would have to call around. I want an out going fish and are jacks always really shy? I would love to have some drither.

What one blue acara or JD Is more out going? What one do you like better and why?

 

[Davo86]

What one blue acara or JD Is more out going? What one do you like better and why?

It does depend on individuals to an extent But in most cases I find Blue Acaras are much more outgoing,
I had one a few years back that would recognise and respond to me as soon as i went in the room and IMO they are the most suitable "pet fish" due to their size and temperament

My work colleague also has a pair of Blue Acaras, funnily enough in with a JD as well as Silver Dollars and a Plec, Again his Blue Acaras are quite sociable, whilst his JD is a fairly aggressive yet timid and shy fish around people.

 

[snowflake311]

That's the impression I was getting when I read about them. I always like to hear it from people that have had the fish. What it will come down to is if I can find the blue or not. They seem like awesome fish why don't I see them more often?

 

[minxfishy]

Ive never owned a JD, but used to have two acaras, they are great fish, no shy at all and mine always came wagging as soon as anyone went near the tank.

Could you ask an LFS to get one in for you?

 

[Fishin Pole]

I cant speak at all for the acara, but i have been keeping a Dempsey for 3 years now in a 75 gallon with a female convict, and 3 silver dollars and a common pleco....he is far from shy and comes to the front whenever i walk by the tank......He has never really shown aggression at any of his tankmates......In fact i used to have a red jewel in the same tank when they were smaller and the jewel was at least 2 inches smaller and try to beat the Jack up at every oppurtunity.....(They are now seperated)......The Demspey is a wonderful fish with all kinds of personality........He has never bothered the live plants in his tank and always has an appetite.........Like Davo said, it will all depend on the individual fish.......MY JD has reached the 10" mark and still seems to be growing....Friend of mine had one that reached almost 11" and lived for eleven years.........Good luck with whatever direction you go........Jack or Acara

 

[snowflake311]

Thanks you guys I'm still torn a part of me still wants a JD but the part thinks the Acara would be best bet we will see what I end up finding.

 

[snowflake311]

stocking idea.

55 gal
2 blue acara (I want a pair m/f)
3 or 2 firemouths
6 black skirt tetras
1 rubber nose pleco
5 pepper cory cats

Is that too much? Would the acara eat the corys? I must have the Acara should I leave the fire mouths out? But I think it would be fun to see them interact.

 

[shroob]

If you're going for a pair of acaras I'd leave the FM out, there will be increased aggression and it probably wont work out. The cory's may be ok, however as the acaras tend to spawn on the floor or near to it they may come under some punishment. I havn't personally kept corys + blue acaras together so can't comment personally but you may want to think about having a more robust bottom dweller such as a dorad of some sort.

 

[snowflake311]

If you're going for a pair of acaras I'd leave the FM out, there will be increased aggression and it probably wont work out. The cory's may be ok, however as the acaras tend to spawn on the floor or near to it they may come under some punishment. I havn't personally kept corys + blue acaras together so can't comment personally but you may want to think about having a more robust bottom dweller such as a dorad of some sort.

What about the black skirts? Do you think they would be ok? If I did not end up with a acara pair how many acaras and firemouths could I keep if I leave the cory cats out?

? acara
? fire mouth
6 black skirts
1 rubber nose pleco
1 choclate doradid

 

[Bert]

I have some Pandas in my SA tank and they do fine. I have 6 firemouths and a blue acara. everyone in the tank gets along fine. I love my acara and think it's one of the most beautiful and fun fish to own.

 

[foley69]

im not suprised all them fish in a 30gal the must have amy room to move unless they are juvees then a tank upgrade will be needed in the future