Freshwater
Jack Dempsey
Rocio octofasciata
Cichlidae, Cichlasomatinae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 25 cm
- Body shape
- Deep-bodied
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 375 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
NativeIntroduced
Lives wild in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
Introduced to Australia, Thailand, and United States.
More about the species
Description
Occurs in swampy areas with warm, murky water. Found in weedy, mud-bottomed and sand-bottomed canals and drainage ditches. Prefers coastal plains and slow moving waters of the lower river valleys. Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and fish.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Archocentrus octofasciatus
- Cichlasoma biocellatum
- Cichlasoma hedricki
- Cichlasoma octofasciatum
- Cichlasoma octofasciatus
- Cichlosoma biocellatum
In other languages
- Jack Dempsey
- Jack Dempsey
- Jack Demsey-cichlide
- Helmikirjoahven
- Jack dempsey cichlid
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up a Central American aquarium5 min read
Hard, alkaline water, sand and rock: an aquarium from the rivers and lakes of Mexico and Central America, with cichlids and livebearers.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.