# jack dempsey's



## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

What is the smallest tank that 2 dempsey's can live in comfortably? Right now they are only 2 or so inch's long.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

i would have to say atleast a 30 for him to be comfortable


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

Ok that guy at the LPS told me 29 but I wanted to verify with someone else


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## NC Frank (Aug 24, 2009)

xrayjeeper83 said:


> Ok that guy at the LPS told me 29 but I wanted to verify with someone else


That is way too small of a tank long term for a pair of dempseys. If this is a temp home then it should suit you fine for a little bit. I would say 2 dempseys when full grown would need a 75 minimum IMO.


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Agreed with NC Frank. 

A 55 gallon is about the minimum for a fully grown dempsey. A pair needs about 70. 

You have got a pair right, not just two random sex fish?


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

willieturnip said:


> Agreed with NC Frank.
> 
> A 55 gallon is about the minimum for a fully grown dempsey. A pair needs about 70.
> 
> You have got a pair right, not just two random sex fish?


Havent bought any yet, wanted to get info before purchase


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

Ah ok, great! That's what I like to hear.

I would recommend a 75 at least, with a male and a female. Two of the same sex fish WILL kill each other. 

Having said that, I have one in my 32 gallon (along with two 3" texas cichlids and a 2" firemouth) and it's very happy. No sign of it going over 6" though. Been that size for a good couple of years. 

You could well be fine with a 30 for a breeding pair, it's hard to tell how big fish will go in captivity. 

Depseys are FANTASTIC fish. Superb predators two. I introduced 15 cherry barbs as dithers 2 days ago. There were 5 left yesterday. He just vacuumed them up. INCREDIBLY fast across the tank and very agile. Great reflexes. 

Far better predators than people give them credit for. The 5 barbs I did rescue are actually doing far better in greasers tank!


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

So if I get just one with a couple of cichlids will it off the cichlids. I have heard they are super aggresive


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## NC Frank (Aug 24, 2009)

xrayjeeper83 said:


> So if I get just one with a couple of cichlids will it off the cichlids. I have heard they are super aggresive


Depends on the tankmates. In a large enough tank there are a lot of tough cichlids that can do well in a tank with a dempsey. I have kept larger convicts and green terrors with dempseys. I know people who keep oscars with dempseys and I am sure a red devil could be a decent tank mate. I know somebody who had a 250 gallon tank who has a Texas cichlid, red devil, green terror, convict and a dempsey


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

I have an oscar in with my dempsey too as of about 3 days ago.

Still no conflicts.

No two fish are alike though, which is where a lot of people slip up.


Lowering the temperature can also help calm aggressive cichlids. Bringing it down to 25ish from 27/28 can do wonders.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

I have a 40 gallon with 4 cichlids, and pleco, and a dinosaur eel, do you think that would be big enough for a dempsy to live in?


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

xrayjeeper83 said:


> I have a 40 gallon with 4 cichlids, and pleco, and a dinosaur eel, do you think that would be big enough for a dempsy to live in?



What are the other cichlids?

Temperaments? 

Sizes?

Dimensions? Length goes a lot further with cichlids than height for example.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

Not sure what type's to be honest, I think 2 are south american, not sure about the rest.

They all seem to get a long pretty well, one that looks like a bumblebee seems to be the bully but its not that bad.

biggest is around 2 inch


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

If you don't know what they are, you haven't got a chance of knowing if you can introduce a dempsey or not. Or any other fish for that matter.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

Ill get some pictures and post them


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## willieturnip (Aug 30, 2009)

xrayjeeper83 said:


> Ill get some pictures and post them


Kick ass.


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

The last guy is all yellow


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

well after doing some looking around I found out I already have a JD LOL. Found that the third guy down is a JD


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## xrayjeeper83 (Sep 6, 2009)

ok nm its a jewel


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