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	JD problems
smnst Hobbyist Posts: 148 Kudos: 92 Votes: 0 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	I have a 7 inch jack dempsey in a 55 gallon tank with a few giant danios and a common pleco. I know I have a male but his colors are not very bright and he looks pale most of the time although he appears healthy. Any suggestions for bringing out the color? And recently I gave him some frozen beefheart to change up his diet a little. Now he refuses to touch his pellet food. What should I do to get him to eat pellets again? Thanks
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
bmcelfresh Hobbyist Posts: 77 Kudos: 81 Votes: 4 Registered: 14-Oct-2004	I have heard that the colors adapt to the environment. I had an african that did that. We got him bright blue and he quickly faded to a dull gray. Have you changed the decoration in the tank? As far as going back to pellets...I guess it would be like kids and dogs.. they'll eat when they're hungary. lol Barb
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
smnst Hobbyist Posts: 148 Kudos: 92 Votes: 0 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	Yeah, I just recently rearranged the tank to change things up. It's been about 4 days now and I thought he shouldn't be that stressed any more.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
wickermanim Small Fry Posts: 9 Kudos: 8 Votes: 0 Registered: 05-Apr-2005	Assuming al of the water parameters are good, check how much cover he has. Jacks (and many otrher fish that matter) get a tough guy reputation where people think aggressive = bold. Most Cichlids feel better with caves/wood to hide in/behind. I took my Jack's favorite cave out of the tank to cxlean it and he lost all color and hid in the corner until it was clean (I had soaked it over night to get the green meanies off it). Hope it works out
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
Theresa_M Moderator Queen of Zoom Posts: 3649 Kudos: 4280 Votes: 790 Registered: 04-Jan-2004	It might not be diet but stress, many fish lose color for that reason. Are your water params good? I also agree with making sure he has some sort of hiding place or area to call his own. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
smnst Hobbyist Posts: 148 Kudos: 92 Votes: 0 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	I actually removed the rock caves in the tank that he normally hides in to scrub off a little of the algae. When I put them back in I'll see if it helps. Thanks again and hopefully that's the problem.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
african_man Enthusiast Posts: 167 Kudos: 139 Votes: 2 Registered: 27-Jul-2005	try a different food, i use tetra colour bits and my cichlids are extreemly vibrant
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
leetomlin14 Hobbyist Posts: 51 Kudos: 32 Votes: 0 Registered: 10-Apr-2005	I have a jack dempsey also, about an eight inch male. I find whenever a cleaning, or a water change, or any rearrangement to the tank is made he will lose colour for a few days. Im sure he will go back to normal on his own. In my experience the JD is a very agressive fish towards other fish, but is spooked by humans quite easily. But to bring out the colours in a JD i use Hikari cichlid pellets, frozen brine shrimp, and frozen blood worms. All do wonders for a fish's colour. Mine even has a bright red line along the top of its dorsal fin.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
JYJason Hobbyist Posts: 117 Kudos: 90 Votes: 1 Registered: 01-Aug-2005	Try bloodworms. They should do better for color than beefheart. Beefheart is more of a way to get your fish bigger.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03
smnst Hobbyist Posts: 148 Kudos: 92 Votes: 0 Registered: 18-Feb-2003	I don't know why but my JD will not eat the Hikari cichlid pellets. The only thing he really goes for are the beefheart cubes. If I just feed him the pellets and no beefheart, will he everntually accept the pellets?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:03


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