Freshwater Fish
Jack Dempsey.
The Jack Dempsey cichlid is a stocky Central American heavyweight that darkens with age and lights up with rows of iridescent blue-green spangles. Expect around 10 inches full-grown in a 55-gallon-plus tank — territorial, especially when breeding, so give it caves to claim and sturdy tank mates.
In-store purchase only. Live fish, coral, and invertebrates are sold at our Erie store only. They cannot be bought online, and we do not ship live animals under any circumstances.
Live fish are priced per supplier batch — prices may vary. Call to confirm current pricing.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
Live animals are sold in store only — we do not ship fish, coral, or invertebrates. Every animal is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it reaches the sales floor. This is a species we carry — it's most likely in the tanks around delivery days, but live stock changes daily. Please call (814) 456-9445 to confirm availability before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 10"
- Min tank size
- 55 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Rocio octofasciata
Good tank mates
The Jack Dempsey is an aggressive, territorial cichlid, not a community fish, and it gets especially defensive when breeding. Keep it only with other similarly tough fish in a roomy tank with caves and clear territories, and leave out small or timid species.
Good to know
The Jack Dempsey is named after the 1920s heavyweight boxing champion, a nod to its stocky build and pugnacious temperament.
Stock and individual temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice before you buy.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. Stock and individual temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 to confirm before you buy.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Oscar - Red Tiger
A large South American cichlid that matches or exceeds the Jack Dempsey in body size, preventing the size-based bullying that sinks most Jack Dempsey pairings. Their parity in size and assertiveness keeps either fish from fully dominating. Requires a 125-gallon minimum; smaller setups push both species into persistent territorial conflict.
Red Spot Silver Dollar
Disc-shaped schooling fish reaching 6–8 inches — large enough not to register as prey — that cruise the open midwater column well away from the Jack Dempsey's bottom territory. Their speed and school cohesion allow them to dodge aggression. Keep a group of five or more so no single fish absorbs repeated attention from the Jack Dempsey.
Bristlenose Pleco
An armored, bottom-dwelling algae eater that occupies a completely separate ecological niche from the Jack Dempsey's mid-to-low water territory. Its compact adult size (4–6 inches) and bony scutes deflect incidental nips; supply caves so it can retreat and rest safely during the day when the Jack Dempsey is most active.
- F
Firemouth Cichlid
A Central American cichlid listed as compatible by multiple established aquarium guides. Firemouths top out around 6 inches — smaller than a mature Jack Dempsey — so a 75-gallon minimum with plenty of visual breaks (rocks, driftwood) is essential to prevent bullying as the Jack Dempsey grows. In adequately sized, well-structured tanks the pairing is widely reported as workable by cichlid keepers.
- S
Striped Raphael Catfish
A heavily armored, nocturnal catfish reaching about 8 inches — too large to be prey and too well-protected to be harmed by incidental nipping. It operates almost exclusively on the substrate after lights-out, minimizing overlap with the Jack Dempsey's daytime territorial patrol. Multiple cichlid-focused sources specifically name this species as a reliable Jack Dempsey tankmate.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.