Jack Dempsey

Author : Efrain Silva

Appearance

This one little bugger is actually very, very slimy, to begin with : Yet it is smooth in its maneuver and no less fast, all in all. The Jack Dempsey fish has bright flecks across its body, and its main color is grey —- fascinating creature to get to talk about here, I’d say. You can find this fish in all sorts of different colors, some of the more popular ones being pink, blue or even gold. And by the way, did you know that it can also change its own color as it gets older and older?

Diet

When it’s feeding time, it’s feeding time! And this hungry heck of a fish will not say no to that — you just have to know what to give it, though, of course, and it will eat like it’s its last meal (because it just well might be). This fish is one true carnivorous being : It will not have a second thought, or any regrets, over grabbing a nearby worm in the wild and sucking the best nutrients out of it. It can also take in smaller fish, not to mention crustaceans. When it’s got to eat, it’s got to eat, right?

Origins

This is an American fish — but what exactly do I mean by American : North American, Central American, or South American? Aha, you got me there….this fish is mostly from Central and South America, the more tropical regions of larger America altogether. It’s been spotted in Mexico ; it’s been found in Honduras ; it’s been sold throughout Chile ; and it’s been to many other places all over, thanks to modern commerce. Rocio octofasciata is the actual scientific name it comes from, which it was technically given by experts (and we should never argue with an expert).

Roommate Situation

This little buddy is actually quite a firecracker of its own, so to speak, and you do not want to see it go off in plain view, with other fish around — that being said, it is, mind you, highly aggressive, but it’s not its fault. It was simply created that way and has no control over this internal instinct. The best kind of tank mate you can get it with, I would say, would be other fish of the same size and aggressive nature / temperament. This means, simply put, every fish in the tank has the same fighting chance, and no one can eat the other in its mouth (since they’re all equal in size).

Other Facts to Note

This fish, just like its cold and hard nature, will actually lay its eggs that way as well…. I mean, the female usually opts in for a cold, hard surface just before giving birth. Perhaps that’s why this creature is so cold and hard from birth? Your guess, and mine, are as good as any other. But that’s not all —- try aquarium glass bottoms, small hard logs, or even rocks & stones for this, when trying to emulate. Have fun!