Jack Dempsey tank mates
Robust New World cichlid that develops electric blue spotting as it matures. But aggressive, large, and not community-safe.
Lists below are built from this species record (safest, best with, risky, unsafe) — each link opens a pair-level check, not a guarantee.
Best tank mates (on file)
Merged from conservative safest and best with fields — de-duplicated by species.
The Jack Dempsey profile lists Common Pleco as both safe and a recommended pairing. Common Pleco grows bigger than Jack Dempsey (60cm vs 25cm). Stock the Jack Dempsey group large enough to outnumber the Common Pleco, or the smaller fish ends up bullied or off food.
The Jack Dempsey profile lists Green Terror as both safe and a recommended pairing. Green Terror is a aggressive intermediate-care species with a 300L minimum. Run the pair checker for your specific tank before stocking.
The Jack Dempsey profile lists Oscar as both safe and a recommended pairing. Oscar is a aggressive intermediate-care species with a 300L minimum. Run the pair checker for your specific tank before stocking.
Risky or situational
From risky tank mates and broad avoid with (excluding “unsafe” below). May work with species-only setups, more water, or mature systems — read the pair page.
None on file beyond the safe list.
Fish to avoid with Jack Dempsey
From the unsafe list — predation, aggression, or space rules on this profile.
Jack Dempsey is flagged as predatory or as likely to eat small fish, and Neon Tetra at 4cm is well within an adult Jack Dempsey's gape.
Jack Dempsey is flagged as predatory or as likely to eat small fish, and Guppy at 5cm is well within an adult Jack Dempsey's gape.
Jack Dempsey is flagged as predatory or as likely to eat small fish, and Corydoras Catfish at 6cm is well within an adult Jack Dempsey's gape.
Angelfish conflicts with Jack Dempsey on temperament, predation, or footprint. The juvenile size in a shop tank is not the figure that matters here.
Jack Dempsey is flagged as predatory or as likely to eat small fish, and Tiger Barb at 7cm is well within an adult Jack Dempsey's gape.
Tank size and groups
- Published minimum for Jack Dempsey: 200L — group minimum 1 .
- Compatibility changes when the tank is too short for turning, too little for a real school, or too warm for one species and not the other — that is why pair checks include tank context, not only temperament.
- Nearest litre hub to this minimum: 200L hub.
Easier alternatives to consider
Conservative beginner-peaceful picks from the library — not replacements for reading, but a shorter on-ramp than this species for a first tank.
Plan before you buy
Pair checks for every mix, then multi-species stocking in the builder.
Filtration & heating
A 200L minimum tank for Jack Dempsey needs a filter rated for at least 800L/hr turnover and a heater maintaining 22–28°C.
Similar fish (same category)
- African Cichlid — min 200L
- Convict cichlid — min 200L
- Discus — min 200L
- Firemouth Cichlid — min 200L
- Keyhole cichlid — min 200L
- Rainbow cichlid — min 200L
- Angelfish — min 150L
- Electric Blue Acara — min 150L
Related (care + temperament)
Other species that list Jack Dempsey
Reverse lookup: these profiles reference Jack Dempsey under safe or “best with” lists.