Electric Blue Jack Dempsey

The electric blue jack dempsey is a colour form of the Central American jack dempsey (Rocio octofasciata, long listed as Nandopsis octofasciata), carrying a recessive trait that replaces the dark base colour with a pale sky blue overlaid with darker blue spangling. It is a genuinely different-looking fish from the standard form, and it is also slower growing, smaller and rather more delicate than the ordinary jack dempsey.

Aquarium care

• Grows to a substantial cichlid, though smaller than the standard colour form.
• Territorial, particularly when paired, but generally less forceful than a normal jack dempsey.
• Slow growing and less robust, so it is easily bullied by faster-growing tankmates.
• Wants caves, wood and flat stones over a soft substrate.
• Needs good filtration and regular water changes.
• Carnivorous: quality cichlid pellets and frozen foods.

Best in a Central American tank with cichlids of similar size and temperament, or as a pair on their own. Avoid keeping it with standard jack dempseys, which will outgrow and dominate it.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the current Central American cichlids.