The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is a freshwater fish and is considered the best living animal in Central America. Atlantic coastal Mexico is also famous among the people as the heart of Dempsey. People keep them to make the environment beautiful and charming.
Its scientific name is “Rocio octofasciata” and its family name is “Cichlidae.” In general, the Dempsey’s color is electric blue and looks like iridescent blue. That’s why it is famous as Electric Blue Jack Dempsey. Further, its green spots give a sharp look. Their colors will deepen more when they breed. The coloration of a female will soften than that of male fish.
The rocio octofasciata likes to live in canals with heavy vegetation out of the homes. A silt-covered bottom also proves helpful to increase Dempsey’s lifespan. Some people add driftwood and clay pots to their aquariums. The bottom of the aquarium should fill with fine sand. In such a way, Dempsey can hide in it.
The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey water temperature should range from 78-82 °F, and the 7.0 PH level of water will be best.
Nature of Electric Blue Jack Dempsey
The loyalty of Dempsey to one partner throughout their life is famous all over the world. The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey lifespan will be a minimum of 10 years, but proper care about its foods.
Blue Jack Dempsey reproduction is quite a complex process. Because, on spawning out of 100%, only 20-25% of fry will survive successfully.
Low viability in frying and high incidence of a juvenile within two months is two essential features of Dempsey. Further, when electric blue jack Dempsey full size becomes 6 mm, then its colors become apparent.
At this stage, you will need to separate the stronger and weaker blue fry as soon as possible because the more healthy fry can eat the hybrid fishes.
Physical Appearance
The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey size of medium-aged fish is round about 20 cm. Its intelligent behavior makes the tank lovely and charming.
Dempsey has large impressive eyes as well as a large head. Its fantastic mouth looks praising with labial arches. The broken lines and black spots on its body increase its beauty.
People love it because of its unique fins as well as large areas of its body. Mostly black spots come in the tails of male fishes. In such a way black and blue combination makes fish lovely. The dorsal and anal fins are pretty noticeable. Due to intense coloring, females and males differ because the female fishes have more intense pigment.
Tank Size and Inner Conditions
The Dempsey feels natural habitat in warm water. In other words, it will be incomplete comfort. The inner temperature should be 25-28 degrees Celsius, and the acidity would be from 6-7 levels.
The Dempsey may die if the temperature drops to +8 degrees Celsius. 150 liters of water is necessary for one mature couple. As Dempsey’s size increases, then you should increase the water level up to 200 liters. Keep in mind; the water level would not touch the roof of the tank.
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Replacement of Water:
You should replace one-third of its water once a week. Plus, the point is that the fishes feel comfortable, and the aquarium vegetation grows speedy with the freshwater.
The electric blue jack Dempsey tank setup is straightforward. So you do not need to get to worry about changing its water.
Shelters:
Electric Blue Dempsey needs algae plants and lives to grub in the ground. For shelter of eggs, they take the help of stones, snags as well as caves. In this way, Dempsey can enjoy it as well as keep their eggs safe.
Social Behavior of Jack Dempsey
The overall behavior of electric blue jack Dempsey is aggressive. They defend their territory. That’s why some people do not consider it good community fish.
On the other hand, they also show a polite attitude concerning their tank mates. At the time of spawn, the fish show aggressive and territorial behavior towards others.
If you keep them in groups instead of pairs, it will be safe and more effortless. Suppose some fishes don’t want to cohabitate, then you should transfer them to another aquarium.
Many experts successfully keep the adult Electric Blue Jack Dempsey and parrotfish together. Same as electric blue jack Dempsey with Severum fish but these are rare causes.
Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Tank Mates
In single-tank equal sizes as well as the same category of fish is not a problem. But if the owner adds multiple types and different sizes of fish, then it will not be fair.
Suppose you add small-size fishes, then the larger Dempsey will start playing hunting games with them. Besides, if you add some different categories, it will also be more challenging because the different types of fish need a different environment.
You can keep electric blue jack Dempsey with angelfish and electric blue jack Dempsey with Oscar fish. Same as Gourami fish, Keyhole fish, Green terror fish, and Firemouth fish are perfect for keeping with Dempsey.
Therefore, electric blue jack Dempsey with tetra fish and electric blue jack Dempsey with discus fish are hard to keep together.
Perfect Feeding for Electric Blue Dempsey
Dempsey is a greedy nature animal. Swallow insects, worms, and other frozen and dry substances are considered the best food for Dempsey. They like to eat frozen and well-prepared foods. Ocean plankton, tubifex, and blood worms are my favorite foods. Supplementary vegetables are also important for optimal health. In addition, black worms, ghost shrimp, carnivore pellet, and brine shrimp are famous and healthy foods of Jack Dempsey.
An Electric Blue Jack Dempsey full-grown takes 3-4 times meal a day. The ready-made food contains an equal and good amount of vitamins, minerals, herbals, and supplements.
Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Breeding
The breeding of Dempsey is quite an inherent event. Therefore, you should notice the signs on time. In the case of male fishes, the visibility of copulative organs will increase. Same as the ovipositor organ will be more apparent to you in female fish. From the beginning stage to the water should be fresher than regular days.
The Jack Dempsey is an egg-laying animal. So, in well-oxygenated water, Dempsey can lay up to 500 eggs. So the electric blue jack Dempsey growth rate will be more than enough. Bluejack Dempsey constructs a crater for the security of eggs. The crater is just like a nest.
As early as spawning starts, the females start laying eggs in stones, caves, or plant leaves. Also, the female can lay eggs in decor elements.
The eggs will round to about two thousand in number. At this stage, the other fishes show hatred toward eggs and want to eat them. Many fishes hatches, so you should keep adults in the different aquariums. After 20 days, the new ones start hatching.
On the first day of their life, the fry shows light color. For prevention purposes, you should increase the water temperature up to 32 degrees Celsius. After you can reduce the temperature to normal, hardness should be slightly above the average while the water should be completely neutral during all this period.
Some people know Argentinean Hector Luzardo cross-bred with blue Cichlasoma, Rocio octofasciatum, and Diamond. After that, the Diamond Cichlasoma will give a pearl neon light glow. That’s why people call it electric blue.
As it is a challenging task. That’s why when you see electric blue jack Dempsey fish for sale, it is expensive. So, you can also take it as a business and earn noticeable money.
Related post: Black Neon Tetra Fish
Diseases and Their Causes in Blue Jack Dempsey
Out of many diseases, the common one is ICH all over the world. It comes into existence due to dirty old water. By putting the fresh as well as 30 degrees Celsius of temperate, you can treat it. But make sure can fish tolerate 30 degrees Celsius? Adults can easily accept it.
Another common disease is a hole-in-the-head disease, also famous as Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE). Like ICH, it is also due to poor water conditions. Insufficient water causes nutritional deficiency, phosphorus, and calcium deficiencies to Jack Dempsey. A shortage of vitamin D and vitamin C is also expected. Some people also say HLLE is due to lack of food, activated carbon water, poor diet, and water filtration.
Bacterial infections and fungus diseases are also dangerous. But for these purposes, you should adequately learn about Electric Blue Jack Dempsey tank setup.
Dempsey Aquarium Setup
According to experts, the minimum aquarium size would be a 40-gallon fish tank. A larger tank reduces the aggressive level of fishes because the fishes want water with clean and regular filtration.
People think the warm water causes the aggressiveness of Electric Blue Jack Dempsey. But they want to live in little warm water. So, to keep the average aggressive level, keep the temperature at 26 degrees Celsius. Plus, at this point in temperature, you can also minimize the hatred among fish.
It would be best if you gave plenty of options to Dempsey. Stones, rooks, and fine sand at the bottom will provide opportunities for hidden places. When Dempsey comes to breeding, adjust the temperature to 86.0° F. The hardness of the water should range from 8 to 12 GH.
Aquarium Care:
It is not rocket science to take care of the aquarium. You have only to keep the water clean and fresh. In most aquariums, the hardness of water increases. Meanwhile, nitrate and phosphorus also increase in the water. And as you know, fishes are susceptible to the PH level of water and to other issues.
That’s why for best care of aquarium you should replace 15-20% water three times in a week. A gravel cleaner is also the best option for removing the organic matter from the tank. The majority of problems get solved with changing of water. So change the water regularly.
Things People Like In Dempsey Fishes
- Breeding possibilities in the aquarium
- Relations of fish with plants and other species in the aquarium tank
- A charming electric black as well as blue marbling around the whole body of fish
Frequently Ask Questions
Electric Blue Jack Dempsey can attain a possible size of up to 20 cm (8 inches).
It will take about six months. But the six months is the fast-growing rate of mostly female fishes.
Yes, Electric Blue Jack Dempsey can eat feeder fish. Because in wilds there are several foods, but in the aquarium, they like meat-based foods. Tiny frogs, crickets, feeder fish, and other live foods.
Yes, Jack Dempsey changes colors. At first, they turn white, then gradually turn into blue color. And as you know, some have black dots, so electric pink electric blue jack Dempsey’s combinations are favorite among people.
Summary
Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is one of the best charming fish. People keep them to decorate their homes and offices as well. So in the first section, we give you a brief overview. After that, we try to inform you about every detail regarding Dempsey. Like their living style, needs, behavior, diseases, and their solution. In the last section, the FAQs help you a lot while buying and dealing with queries regarding Dempsey. So we hope all the above information will help you a lot.