Dempsey torn up

[chester82006]

I have an Oscar, and 2 Jack Dempseys in a 75 gl.


One of my Jack Dempseys is horribly beaten up and isn't moving. My oscar is hurt pretty bad too. Then the other JD doesn't have a thing wrong with him. Could the injured JD and my Oscar be fighting? Also, the healthy JD seems to trail behind my Oscar...are they buddies and out casting the other guy?

I don't want the Jack Dempsey that's hurt badly to be suffering. He really doesn't look good, and his relative won't leave him alone. I'm at a loss of how to handle this. :14:

I can never catch them in the act of fighting, so I don't know who the culprit is. Is it possible that the healthy JD is attacking the Oscar too?

Recently I got rid of my 2 FMS to a good home at my LFS. I moved all the decorations and caves around in the tank for a new set up. Could this be another reason for the aggression?

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

[johnl]

My guess would be the healthy JD is the culprit. They can be very aggressive. If you can I would remove the healthy JD. The next best thing would be a divider. With the fish separated it may be easier to determine who exactly is beating up on who.

[chester82006]

My guess would be the healthy JD is the culprit. They can be very aggressive. If you can I would remove the healthy JD. The next best thing would be a divider. With the fish separated it may be easier to determine who exactly is beating up on who.

I'd hate to get rid of that one. Although I did see the Oscar chasing around the injured JD. I'm not sure he'll even make it. This is confusing. So you think the healthy JD could be beating up the Oscar too?

[Sharkman]

I think the healthy JD is beating them both up. The 75g probably isn't the best for those 3 fish as they all get rather large. Do you have any other options for keeping these fish maybe in another tank? The oscar alone would apprecite the 75g and a JD would probably like a 75g for itself too so cramping the 3 in one is probably contributing to the fighting. Im sorry to say, but you might need to remove some fish.

[Lady Hobbs]

I agree that 3 fish that will be huge are too much for that 75 gallon. I have a feeling the two injuried ones were fighting. Probably both males and the uninjured one the female.

[kaianuanu]

fo shizzle

[johnl]

I'd hate to get rid of that one. Although I did see the Oscar chasing around the injured JD. I'm not sure he'll even make it. This is confusing. So you think the healthy JD could be beating up the Oscar too?

It's a distinct possibility. Don't know if I'd get rid of any of them right away I'd just try to separate them and find out who the culprit is. The 75 is a little tight for those three fish and it could be territory issues your looking at. It would be great if you could leave the O in the 75 and move the JD's to their own tank.

[troy]

fo shizzle
What was the point of that? I also have to agree the tank is overstocked.

[concretephil]

i think you'll probably find that the healthy JD is the source of the problem, either directly or in directly. if he's not beat up, he's obviously the dominant fish in the tank so he's probably at least partially directly responsible for some of the injuries, also he's made his claim to his part of the tank (probably most of the tank), leaving the oscar and the other JD to fight over what's left, therefor being indirectly responsible responsible. IMO your best bet would be to get rid of the beat up JD, since your not sure if he's gonna make it anyway, and HOPEFULLY, that will give the healthy JD and oscar enough room to stay out of each others way. also, make sure you've got hiding places ( rocks with nooks and crannies between them), this will give the the less dominant fish avenues of escape and also may help the more dominant fish to reduce the size of his territory, having more defined boundaries instead of having to try and defend a larger, more wide open space

[chester82006]

Thanks for all the replys, this helps so much.

I did separate the injured JD with a divider for him to have time to heal, hopefully he'll make it. I think I'll be giving both of the JDs back to an LFS eventually because I won't be able to get another tank set up for them. I'm sure my Oscar will be happy with that ;] and I believe most of you are right about the healthy JD being the culprit. He's a nasty one, and what a coincidence that he doesn't have a scratch on him.