Feral Jack Dempsey Population Established in South Dakota River

Jack Dempsey harvested from the Fall River in South Dakota. Image courtesy South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. It may be the dead of winter, with overnight lows plummeting below freezeing in Hot Springs, South Dakota, but State fisheries biologists in South Dakota are blaming irresponsible aquarium hobbyists for introducing a population of Jack Dempsey … Read more

Jack Dempsey Cichlid (Rocio octofasciata)

Species name: Rocio octofasciata Common names: Jack Dempsey Family: Cichlidae Order: Perciformes Suborder: Percoidei Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) Maximum length: 9.8″ in. (25.0 cm) Minimum tank size: 50 gallons Hardiness: Easy Aggressiveness: Aggressive Distribution: North and Central America: Atlantic slope from southern Mexico (Papaloapán River) to Honduras (Ulua River). Diet: Carnivorous fish. While it will … Read more

Jack Dempsey Fish: The Ultimate Care, Breeding Guide, And Tank Setup

It’s no surprise that the Jack Dempsey fish is one of the most popular and sought after fish in the aquarium hobby. Also called Rocio octofasciata, these fish are from the Cichlidae family. This large bodied, aggressive fish has a lot to offer any aquarist: beauty, personality and aggression. But like all pets, they require … Read more

Jack Dempsey Fish: Size, Care, Lifespan, Tank Mates

The Jack Dempsey fish (lat. Rocio octofasciata) is a widely spread tank fish within North and Central America. Because of the fish’s congenital aggressiveness towards its tank mates, the USA aquarists have called it Jack Dempsey by the popular professional boxer’s name. Contents Habitat in the wild The first scientific description of the genus was … Read more