ID on this lil guy
- Thread starter sean2024
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They can easily reach 10" with the proper care, and frequent water changes.
In the Cenotes of Mexico (where they are endemic) they are in almost constant water changes from under ground aquifers.
https://youtu.be/eBFAtr6ZfIs
In the Cenote above, they share habitat with Mayaheros uropthalmus, and they get a bit beat up.
Below they are the dominant cichlid in lats of of space, and do much better, where they share habitat with large sail fin mollies, and rhamdia catfish
https://youtu.be/txmi1mng_XQ
In the Cenotes of Mexico (where they are endemic) they are in almost constant water changes from under ground aquifers.
https://youtu.be/eBFAtr6ZfIs
In the Cenote above, they share habitat with Mayaheros uropthalmus, and they get a bit beat up.
Below they are the dominant cichlid in lats of of space, and do much better, where they share habitat with large sail fin mollies, and rhamdia catfish
https://youtu.be/txmi1mng_XQ
Yep, not all dempseys are the same dempsey. In fact there are 3 species of dempsey, Rocio gemmata, Rocio ocotal, and of course Rocio octofasciata. Each specific to different parts of the dempsey range(s) and of course each with slightly different color, shapes, or physical traits. The typical hobby JD from the FL or Asian fish farms is almost certainly a mix of any of the 3. why? simple, for decades it was just 1 species..
fun note. The electric blue dempsey. in 2000 Jeff Rapps commissioned & funded DNA workup on the species(extremely expensive back then). They in fact came back as pure dempsey(all were considered octofaciata at the time still) That was back then.. today who knows what they are probably mixed with. I know, I know, yeah but "why aren't they found in the wild?".. well, gotta know where to look
check this clip out from Cenote Cristalino, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. The cichlids are Rocio gemmata, the smaller growing ‘Jack Dempsey’ that is also found in Yucatán cenotes. Check out the nearly all electric blue stud swim by towards the end of the clip! wowzers!
link to video:
Also, your fish is young and on a dark substrate. So besides it blending in with its surroundings, being young it will color up as it ages.
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