January 27, 2010
WHAT TO FEED JACK DEMPSEY CICHLID FISH – Quality, not Quantity
WHAT TO FEED
JACK DEMPSEY FISH
Quality, not Quantity
One essential condition for keeping your Jack Dempsey fish healthy for many years is good nutrition. Appropriate food is not only a question of quantity but also of quality for the offered food. In general the aquarist looks after whether he provides enough food but not always of the variation. In general the aquarist feels inclined to give too much in stead of too little food. Both extremes are harmful, because they can lead to 
diseases, or at least a decreased activity and resistance of the fishes.
A lot of the time it appears to be that fishes get too little food, consequently, don’t develop any breeding activities and show poor health. It poses in a tank where several eating habits are put together. Very greedy and active fishes have already eaten all the food while the shy or frightened species haven’t yet started eating. Also, many hobbyist fear overfeeding and fouling the water, consequently, the fish are stressed from hunger and lack of proper nutrition.
Mistakes are quit often made more in composition of food than in the amount of food. That’s due to the fact that some popular species are downright feeding specialists. In the aquaristique, fish are often divided into peaceful and predatory fish. This classification appeals but is nevertheless a result of wrong conclusions, which can be made by beginning aquarists. In common the peaceful fishes feed themselves in their natural habitat exclusively and mainly with animal food. The only criterion, on which the classification is based on of peaceful and predatory fishes, is the size of the prey, because there is hardly a cichlid species to be found which do not eat other species if the size does not correspond with the food he normally prefers. Besides absolute herbivores, there are numerous amounts of fishes, which need some herbivorous food as a side dish. For large cichlids it’s sufficient to add some big lettuce or kale leaves in the water besides their normal food. For juveniles and smaller species it’s best to use frozen or fresh spinach. For fresh fish meat we have nothing to say. We can buy it either fresh or frozen. Besides the meat of freshwater fish we can also feed saltwater fish.
___________________________________________________
The Jack Dempsey fish is a very hardy cichlid. While not being a picky eater, the Dempsey can have trouble adjusting to new foods. It is best to alter their day to day diet with: pellets, shrimp, tubifex worms, plankton, lettuce, earthworms, snails, guppies and microworms for newborn fry. The better you feed a Jack Dempsey Cichlid, the more colorful and healthy it will become. It has been reported that the Jack Dempsey will also eat flake food, as well as crayfish, grasshoppers and small frogs.
jack dempsey fish food (106)what do jack dempseys eat (99)what do jack dempsey fish eat (66)what to feed jack dempsey (60)best food for jack dempsey (53)jack dempsey cichlid food (48)jack dempsey feeding (48)what to feed a jack dempsey fish (48)what do jack dempsey eat (48)feeding jack dempsey fish (32)what should i feed my jack dempsey (31)feeding jack dempsey cichlid (29)what does a jack dempsey eat (27)what do you feed jack dempsey fish (26)what do i feed my jack dempsey (25)what do jack dempsey cichlids eat (22)what to feed my jack dempsey (18)jack dempsey cichlid feeding (18)what to feed jack dempsey fish (17)food for jack dempsey fish (16)
Why is my Jack Dempsey so pale and colorless?
January 25, 2010 at 4:25 pm
[...] It can’t be stressed enough that a varied and nutritious diet is very important not only for the coloration but for the health and longevity of your pet. [...]
bluebandana_7@live.com
February 9, 2010 at 6:07 am
I have a Jack Dempsey which is about 1 and a half inches long i feed him shrimp and crill pellets sinkers, bone meal pellets floaters, gold fish flakes veg., and any flys or moths i can. but my question is how much of this stuff should i be feeding him a day, and how many times a day please email me the answer my email is in the name part.
Nico fish
March 10, 2010 at 3:25 am
I love this site if I could make a suggestion I would recommend feeding your JD by hand this way you won’t foul the water. Your fish will hopefully jump and swim around to grab all of his or her food as soon as it hits the water. Thy way you can’t foul you water and you get a good sense of how much it eats
kelsi
August 9, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I am feeding my jack dempseys hikari cichlid bio-gold+, and my smaller green terrors get hikari cichlid gold, because the other is a larger pellet. Im afraid the terrors would choke on it. Are these good quality foods? these are my first cichlids, everythingi s great with the exception of one terror being beat up.
DOCDERDOC
August 21, 2010 at 3:00 pm
the past few months my jack dempsey has been lying on the bottom of the tank, with a slight curve in it’s body. he will only move around when he’s fed. his coloration is pale. can someone tell me what’s wrong with my fish?
– DOCDERDOC
visitor
April 18, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Hello, im a visitor of this website,
I can suggest few options for you.
1.) try to keep the tank clean and check the water quality regularly.
2.) feed quality food, make sure not to over feed them. feed them within 2~3 min.) and the rest you should clean out the left over food right away.)
3) and remember STRESS is the most vengeful thing for the fish and that is the main reason that fishes get sick.)
4.) you should also go to a library or find a book about cichlids.
(Visitor from this website.)
Josie
October 2, 2010 at 1:38 am
HI I have a JD and he doesnt want to eat…He looks kind of depressed and he is not as active as he was. I really dont want him to die what can I do?
josh
November 4, 2010 at 2:41 am
i got two jd and one is starting to get its colors alot of red some blue and i have another that is almost pal that one been like that since i got it from the pet store what can i do to help it look better
lisa
January 6, 2011 at 3:49 am
I dont have an answer for you but my JD is acting the same way and he is not eating. What should i do?
Brian
January 9, 2011 at 10:52 pm
You might want to consider feeding him worms from your yard or garden. My JD ounce had the same problem but since ive been feeding him worms hes gotten bigger and more coloration.
Brian
January 9, 2011 at 10:57 pm
i ounce had the same problem but you might want to consider feeding him worms from your yard or garden. My JD has gotten bigger and more coloration.
bruce
January 15, 2011 at 2:32 am
Water problems will cause all of the problems mentioned. Lack of color, lack of energy/interest. I’ve been through it and lost 4 fish before I found the nitrate levels were too high and the ph too low. It took weeks to get the nitrates down. I got the ph stablilzed using crushed coral in the substrate. Add the crushed coral gradually till you get the ph level your fish require.
chad
January 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm
I have 4 JD one of which is quite a bit larger than the other 3. The larger one has great color but the 3 smaller ones are all pale with no typical JD colors. Any suggestion as to why ? And why this particular one is so much larger than the others ?
I bought them all at the same time and size. The larger ones is about 2 inches or so while the others are about an inch or so. Also when should I put small feeder fish in with them ?????
Visitor
June 22, 2011 at 6:19 pm
The larger more colorful one is a male, and the other 3 sound like they are most likely female. The females are not as bright and colorful as the males.
lamarr
March 5, 2011 at 4:35 am
I have a JD. along with a elongated cichlid. I was wondering how big do JD fish get? I notice spending time with my fish lets me get to know them a lot better. seeing if they are eating and how much they eat when i feed them. little things like that i think can help you understand if a fish like certain foods or the ph levels are off. Not just feed them and run off.
Shaker
April 26, 2011 at 5:37 am
Responding to Iamarr: I have 4 JD’s in a bow front 64 gallon, my largest male is around 10 inches at 3 years old, my other 3 are in the 6 to 8 inch range. I also have 4 Silver Dollars in there and they seem to get along pretty well with each other.
Bea
April 12, 2011 at 7:57 pm
HI, my female JDC jumped out of our 55 g tank a few months back and my male is all alone. I was wondering what other types of fish are compatible. He is 3-1/2 long. I have asked many different fish stores in my area and I am getting mixed recommendations. I saw some red parrot fish and thought they were really pretty. I would appreciate your input. (:
Levi
April 22, 2011 at 9:41 am
I too have been keeping my parrot fish with my 2 JD and EBJD they seem to be getting along fine if they start pairing up i may have to move the parrot to another home but as they are getting along fine at the moment i have also read in many different places that keeping your JD with more fish will help in keeping them from developing territories as well but since your fish has been living there alone for a while she may not like you introducing new fish to “her” place if you are able to remove her from the tank temporarily and add the newer fish in then after about a week you can re introduce her and she will no longer be the “owner” of the tank and be more inclined to share
megan
April 16, 2011 at 2:07 pm
I have my JDC in with blood parrots and they get along fine. They compliment each other in the tank.
MJ
July 24, 2011 at 12:54 pm
My largest JD is not eating…. I have 1 smaller one including 7 other african chiclids that are eating just fine…. what do i do???
Dpeco
December 7, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Affricans and Soutgh American cichlids should not mix, they (Africans ) are faster and can be much more aggressive to one another and its tank mates, maybe the activity and constant aggressiveness is bothering and stressing the Jack out
merrill
August 20, 2011 at 6:14 am
i just got a jack Dempsey and about 5 inches long and iv had him know for about 4 days i cant get him to eat he just kills the feeders i put in and lets them float. iv also tryed flakes and he shows no interest. the people i got him from didn’t tell me what they feed him. what should i do?
merrill
August 20, 2011 at 6:16 am
hes also has very little color.
heather
August 21, 2011 at 2:16 am
Hi, I have a male JD and his color, has gotten very dark..but only one side and and only half of that side. ? It look like a real dark purple..?
devinlgetty@aol.com
August 26, 2011 at 7:28 pm
i have a jd not sure if its a male or female but only moves from his/her shelter to eat its got a round belly not sure if its a girl so im not sure if its going to lay eggs it eats plenty and has no color problems very colorful
joe
October 27, 2011 at 5:02 pm
hi, I just want to know how I can deal with my JD who is always hungry. All he cares about is food, and everytime he sees me, he wants food. When he does get his food he acts like he has never ate before. I feed him twice sometimes 3 times a day
jackarthur46
October 27, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Joe… If your JD is healthy and growing then you’re doing fine. I have a dog like that but we just don’t feed her all the time. Don’t feed the fish any more than you already are. Twice a day is fine for a mature JD and 3 times a day for a growing juvenile.
Jon
November 18, 2011 at 7:44 am
So I was told. If I get a jd. It would eat all my mollies. I’ve had my jd for 3 months and still no missing fish. I also have a feeder tank which I feed him from. He just won’t eat live food. Need to know why!
john creasey
December 12, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I have just acquired three JDs. One 4-5 inch blue gene male and originall 3 juveniles but one died. I have them in a 350 litre tank with Malwii’s. All now, after about 2 weeks feeding avidly and the juveniles are regularly exploring the tank. All I need now is some more juveniles
john(uk)
chris
February 27, 2012 at 8:06 am
I have a jack, 5 star and a Jaguar cichild all in the same tank. They seem fine. The 5 star and the Jaguar seem have claimed they’re halfs of the tank and both guards their half. The Jack roams freely and neither bothers him at all. Can this threesome work??
Daniel
May 5, 2012 at 5:26 pm
I just got a Jack Dempsey cichlid about 2.5 inches long; and she’s a little freaked out. she keeps trying to fight her reflection in the minus 1 gallon acrylic tank; advice would be appreciated. in addition to this she ignored me when I gave her a couple flakes, and when I gave her a freeze-dried blood-worm. in addition to this she continually knocks the marbles away from the base of the plastic plant that came with the tank, making it float, capturing the food.
Should i put her in a bigger tank, should I get her a friend, what should i feed her? Please Help.
Daniel
May 5, 2012 at 5:35 pm
oops, reading i now see that my JD must be a male, with the way he attacks his reflection.