Jack Dempsey care

Water temperature

72–86°F

Keep jack dempseys at 72–86°F with a pH of 6.5–7.5, in a tank of at least 55 gallons. Good tank mates include crayfish.

Territorial and predatory. Tank mates need to be its size and tough.

Rocio octofasciata

pH

6.5–7.5

Minimum tank

55 gal

Adult size

10.0 in

Temperament

Aggressive

Group

Alone or in pairs

Lifespan

10–15 years

Swims at

Middle

Diet

Carnivore

Best tank mates

• CrayfishYes

Full jack dempsey tank mate chart: 1 yes, 12 with care, 85 no

Jack Dempsey water compared

Fish to keep away from jack dempseys

• Betta An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2.5 inches bettas do.
• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); jack dempseys need 72–86°F. No temperature suits both.
• Pea puffer An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1 inches pea puffers do.
• Guppy An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 2 inches guppies do.
• Kuhli loach An adult jack dempsey eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 3.5 inches kuhli loaches do.
• Angelfish Jack dempseys are aggressive, and slow, long-finned angelfish cannot escape them.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); jack dempseys need 72–86°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Common pleco Jack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful plecos.

More cichlids

• Angelfish76–84°F
• Oscar74–81°F
• Discus82–88°F
• Convict cichlid74–82°F
• German blue ram80–86°F
• African cichlid75–82°F
• Blood parrot76–80°F
• Bolivian ram72–79°F