Electric Blue Jack Dempsey Cichlid (Cichlasoma octofasciatum var.)

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Adult:




Young (same fish):




Size - 8 inches
pH - 7.0
Temp. - 75 degrees Fahrenheit
Minimum Tank Size - 55 Gallons
Origin - Guatemala, Honduras, Yucatan
Diet - Frozen and Pelleted food including bloodworms, brine shrimp, and cichlid pellets
Care Level - Intermediate
Temperament - Moderately Aggressive

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is a variant of the common Jack Dempsey, part of the cichlid family of fish. It gets is name from the brilliant coloration that it presents as it enters adulthood. Many have speculated as to whether this fish is a hybrid fish formed from another fish breeding or whether it comes from a naturally occurring gene that would be produced in nature. Both sides have good arguments. However, I tend to lean towards the gene for two reasons. One, because it can be reproduced by breeding an Electric Blue with an Electric Blue Gene carrier, and two, because it carries all of the same rituals and habits of the normal Jack Dempsey and because of it's color, would not be found in nature because it would stick out like a sore thumb to both the parent who would cull the different looking ones and to a predator who finds the colorful and weaker ones easier meals.

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey has a milder manner than the normal Jack Dempsey. However, don't let that fool you from thinking it will not still hold up to it's name. They still can hold their own. EBJD's, as some people abbreviate, are not easy to breed because the Blue fry are very weak and susceptible to diseases, especially early on in their life. Much care must be taken when young to ensure their survival and health. It is also difficult because in order to produce blue fry you must first cross a normal Jack Dempsey with an EBJD and then breed the fry, who are Blue Gene carriers, back with an EBJD to produce Electric Blue fry. Two EBJD's bred together will produce extremely weak fry who will die once hatched in a very short time. To ensure a stronger strain, it is suggested that you breed the first batch of Blue Gene carrier fry with an EBJD other than the parent to prevent inbreeding problems.

With all of that being said, I have found this to be one of, if not, my favorite fish to keep in the hobby because of it's brilliant colors and rarity. Please do note that if you plan on keeping one, I've found that it is best to keep your EBJD with the opposite sex normal Jack Dempsey or with another Electric Blue of the same size to keep them from hiding all the time. Mine was very shy until I introduced her to a mate. Now she roams the whole tank most of the day and is much more active. Enjoy!

Beautiful fish...thanks for the info...

Does anyone know if the electric fades out as they mature....buddy has one about 4" and it seems to have faded a bit.

I told him I would ask also told him to get on the board

They will fade when the get bigger. My 6" female has faded. I think that her not having another Jack Dempsey makes her afraid, causing fading. Also, their breeding colors are amazing. So not having a mate lets them stay dull longer. You have to remember that these fish would normally not survive in the wild because of the color, so you have to baby them to keep their color vibrant.

Sweet thanks for the info....I will tell him to try to get a few more see if he can get a breeding pair.

One thing I have noticed from the posts about EBJD's is that they grow at very different rates. I've got 2 that I have had for about 5 months and they are only about 1/2-1 inch bigger living in a 75 gal. Picked them up at a little shop in Seattle for $15 ea.

Cool personality, awesome colors, gets more compliments than any other fish I have. Just anxious for them to grow up already.

Very nice fish, i love the blue color on those, great pics..!

I got my EBJD for $10+tax each. Granted I got them at a chain pet store I know lol, but they have done very well and are growing like weeds and didn't bring disease into my tank...don't have a quarantine set up...crazy on my part I know.

expensive fish

my bad powder blue JD is the expensive one

Amazing Fish! I love these guys!

Powder blue JD?? never heard of them. Going to have to look them up now..lol

They are one in the same. The fry don't have the dark blue color adults do. I'm finally going to bite the bullet and try to breed. I just picked up a male fry a few weeks ago. BTW, the comment about growth rate is probably due to how long they were kept in the fish stores. Having them in such small places can stunt growth. I try to get them as young as possible.

Are they harder to take care of?  

A little. Since they stick out, you have to grow out the EBJD's before you bring in or introduce regular Dempseys, and they must be smaller. A normal Jack Dempsey would eat one alive unless it is of the opposite sex and they have paired up. I learned the hard way a few times.

I had got one about 2" one time and he lasted only 3 months and was in a tank by himself! then one morning went to check on him and he was belly up! I checked the water and it was fine so I don't know what happened? 

They can be weak when younger, depending on how they were bred. It may have just been a weaker fish. Usually once they are out of the fry stage, though, they are fine.

I would love to get some more but no tank space right now! 

Buy another tank! That's always my answer (until my wife says no).

The next tank is for something else!