my Jack Dempsey

[juanveldez]

okay this is the situation. I have a 29 gallon tank in my bedroom with a male Jack in it.
he is the only fish in there besides my 2 common pelcs. but to the problem.... Normally Bert attacks his food with out waiting for me to even close the lid. but today I notice that not only did his black color dominate his body but that he didn't want to eat this morning at his normal feeding time. is it possible that he is lonly and is saulking. or is he just being normal?

 

[semper fi]

sounds like bert is a little stressed possibly. are you keeping the lights on for a long period of time? how is your water? have you changed his food or done anything different that he is not used to?

 

[blasterjr]

I have a Jack. It was my first fish and he was all alone to he did kinda the same thing and I came home with a green terror and fire mouth. Then my Jack perked up and he started to act like normal. All I can say is that he my be sick or lonley. With my knowlage it my just be a pase that they go through. Oh and by the way my Jack perked up so much that he KILLED my fire mouth.
I hope that I have helped in some way.

 

[juanveldez]

No actually I woke up late today so that his light didn't get turned on at the same time. but as far as changes to the tank the only thing done was to add some plants. the tank used to house a breeding school of guppies so there was smaller plants in there and so I added some taller ones. but as for food I changed him from some pellets that I had left over from oscars that I used to keep and died to some tetra cichlid sticks a few months ago and so far he loves them.

 

[juanveldez]

I did see a Jack in breeding colors at my LFS the other day and he was Much smaller than mine is it possible that he is getting ready for breeding?

 

[semper fi]

when they get their breeding colors the colors of the male become more brilliant. one wayt o attract the female. or when they are trying to ward off an aggressor. called showing their colors. when they are stressed or being bullied they usually lose their colors to not be so noticeable. add some dither fish or target fishin their with him and see if that perks him up.

 

[juanveldez]

okay so what would be some good target fish for him he is like I said in a 29 gallon tank and he is also about 7.5 inches. he tries to play with my pelcs but terry the biggest was raised with my pirhanas before they died and so he won't let my jack bully him around.

 

[cichlidmaster]

Well let's see..................

A 7.5" Dempsey....2 plecos (that are probably a decent size) in a 29 gallon tank!!!!!

I have to assume that the plecs are a decent size if they were in a tank with piranha!!!

Honestly Juan....I would not put anything else in this tank!! The confines of a 29 gallon (30"x13"x17") is not really enough room to allow any target/dither fish to escape if the Dempsey becomes over aggressive!!

Actually it is dither fish I believe you would want and not target fish. Target fish are used for the purpose of directing aggression that one fish is showing towards another. Also used when a male and female are spawning as this draws the attention of an overly armorous male away from the female. Dither fish are used to help make shy fish feel more comfortable!!

In any event this tank is really to small to place any other fish in that would make it with a dempsey.

Sorry...wish I had better news for you!!!

CM

 

[juanveldez]

okay I think that I have figured out part of berts problem. when I cleaned my tank the other day I noticed that my water was really warm. so I looked at the thermometer and holly cow I won't say how warm cause it is kind of embarassing for me, but my heater was on the fritz so I fixed its positioning and turned it down and the water is back to its normal temp and bert is back to normal

 

[.:Ming:.]

i was sure that's the problem..........good thing that you found out before i replied....

ming