Electric Blue Jack Dempsey

🔹 Scientific Name: Rocio octofasciata (Electric Blue is a color morph)

🔹 Common Name: Electric Blue Jack Dempsey

🔹 Type: Freshwater Cichlid

📏 Size

• Maximum Size: Around 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) in length

• Electric Blue variants tend to stay slightly smaller and slimmer than the standard Jack Dempsey, with males often reaching 8–10 inches and females slightly smaller.

🌍 Native Habitat

• Origin: Native to Central America, particularly Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize

• Found in slow-moving, warm rivers with dense vegetation and muddy or sandy bottoms.

⏳ Lifespan

• Average Lifespan: 8 to 10 years in captivity with proper care.

🍽️ Diet

• Diet Type: Carnivorous, though they are flexible eaters

• In the wild, they feed on insects, worms, crustaceans, and smaller fish.

• In captivity, feed a varied diet including:

  • High-protein cichlid pellets

  • Bloodworms

  • Brine shrimp

  • Mysis shrimp

  • Occasional vegetables or spirulina for balance

🧬 Breeding

• Breeding Behavior: Egg-layers; both parents guard the nest aggressively

• Breeding Season: No strict season in captivity; breeding can occur year-round with proper conditions

• Pairs will select flat surfaces for egg-laying (like rocks), and fry hatch in a few days

🐟 Best Tank Mates

The Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is less aggressive than the standard Jack Dempsey but still needs compatible tank mates. Choose robust, similarly sized, and semi-aggressive species.

• Compatible tank mates:

  • Severum cichlids

  • Firemouth cichlids

  • Green Terrors (with caution)

  • Plecostomus (Plecos)

  • Silver Dollars

  • Large rainbowfish

  • Synodontis catfish

• Avoid:

  • Small, delicate fish (e.g., tetras, guppies)

  • Extremely aggressive cichlids like Red Devils or Oscars (unless in very large tanks)

🏡 Aquarium Requirements

• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons for one adult; 75+ gallons if keeping with other large cichlids

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 78–84°F (25–29°C)

  • pH: 6.5–7.5

  • Water Hardness: 6–18 dGH

• Requires good filtration and regular water changes due to waste production