# Help with Jack Dempsey's, male or females?



## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Hello everyone, new to this Forum and fairly new to fishkeeping. Guess i'm starting with something pretty difficult for my 1st attempt at keeping fish but hear goes. I inherited a 75 gallon fish tank with a large jack dempsey ( i'm assuming male?). I have had him for 6 months and just recently in last 6 days purchased i'm hoping a female jack dempsey. Wondering if everyone can help me determine the sex of the two jack dempseys? I have done a lot of research and took the photos to an LFS as well but it's still so hard to say.... Just looking for opinions based on my photos.
Assumed male jack dempsey is almost 10 inches in length
Assumed female is about 4 inches.
1st 2 pics are the assumed male and last 3 pics are the assumed female. 
thoughts/comments?
Thanks everyone.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Big bruiser of a male there.

I'd say yes the other is a female, but with minimal spangles on the lower jaw. My littlest female doesn't have much either...she's about twice the size since this pic, but the spangles haven't enlarged.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

tks for your thoughts Riceburner, Your little female looks so much like mine. cheers!!!!


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

It's a good sign that the big one hasn't attacked the small one, but you might want to be ready to separate them if aggression suddenly develops. You can make a divider out of the plastic 'eggcrate' used as a light diffuser on fluorescent ceiling lights in offices. You can buy this in building supplies stores, usually in 2' x 4' sheets.

Another tactic is to partition off an area of the tank with eggcrate, but cut a hole in it big enough for the small one to get through, but not big enough for the big guy to follow.

Are you feeding them live goldfish? I'd recommend against it. Not only is there a serious risk of them getting diseases and parasites from the feeders, but JDs aren't real piscivores in nature. They are omnivores, and goldfish is too rich a diet for them, as well as putting an extra strain on your filtration system.

JDs are very intelligent fish and make responsive pets. If you take good care of them, they can live for more than 15 years. Incidentally, they don't need high temperatures. 65-75F is good.


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## MacFish (Jun 15, 2006)

Yup, I'd agree. Big boy and little girl.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Here's a more recent quick snaps of her ...


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

*Wow, she's lookin good riceburner*



Riceburner said:


> Here's a more recent quick snaps of her ...
> 
> Wow,,, great update,, she is looking good and darkening up. Is she in a separate tank or is it like my case with the little female in with the big male? I'm on the 7th day with mine and so far no issues with the male.. He just keeps everything away from the big 12 ceramic pot and that's about it... she even steels almost all the food...... Just wish i could get the big guy to be more active when the tank lights are on... grrr... take care


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

First shot was when she was first put in the tank...a bit stressed. She's grown quite a bit and holds her own with the other JDs, GT and Cons.


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