Fish Facts: Juvenile Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum)

The Jack Dempsey gets its named from a former heavyweight champion, meaning the Jack Dempsey can be quite an aggressive fish. The Jack Dempsey (Cichlasoma octofasciatum) is a member of the cichlid family and is native to Central America.

The color of the Jack Dempsey varies greatly with age, mood, and health of the animal and adults look nothing like the juvenile pictured above. Adults actually look similiar to a Rio Grande Cichlid. A Jack Demsey should be kept seperate from many other aquarium fish species due to its agressive nature.