Electric Blue Jack Dempsey's worthless?

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Cylon

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Sep 12, 2005
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Benton, IL
I had a tank of 7 2in EGJDs. I received then at around an inch. I am starting to think these are worthless fish. Reading all the eating trouble people are having with these fish. I lost one of my fish 2 days back I am currently watching that tank real close.

I have a 4 1/2 to 5in EBJD and he is the one I have been talking about the past 11 months. I picked him up at about an inch. He's a good eater never was able to get his eggs to hatch with a common. All he dose is hide now. I am thinking about forgetting the whole breeding idea on these fish. Just walking by the tank he freaks out. As you all know stressed fish aren’t growing to breed. I moved him into my 90 gal with his mate and the GT in the avatar to leave that tank open to try to pair off some of my other JDs.

Oh, If your interested in mixing GTs with a EBJD. In my case the GT does not like the EBJD at all but gets along fine with normal JDs.

At this point these fish seem to be shy and brainless. They hide from everything and stop eating at the drop of a hat. If you do make it to the final stages and breed an EBJD with a common that has the Blue jean, plan on a 15% turn out on EBJDs. The pro breeders destroy all the commons so the blue jean does not make it into the normal bloodline. I think I would rather have the fish they are destroying. I bet they have personalities?

For those of you who have had these fish please reply on your experiences with them. Maybe there is a lot of positive stuff I am not aware of. This would be a good spot to repost all the negitive stuff I have been reading as well.

I'm not giving up I am just mad right now and concerned about what I have been reading. I made this post for those of you who are thinking about buying an EBJD. Be warned about what you’re getting into.
 
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rmcder

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Jul 18, 2005
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I've posted here and elsewhere about my experiences with ebjds, but for those unaware:

I've bought one about a year ago. Never ate, died.

Bought three about six months ago (figured I'd maybe get one to live). One died after a short time, the other two still alive and apparently flourishing.

They tend to have real health problems when they are less than 3" (which is, of course, when we normally get them). First sign of trouble is disinterest in feeding. When they start sitting in one spot all the time (still not eating), the end is near. There are indications that this is a result of picking up either an internal infection or parasites - both treatable.

My remaining two: One got considerably larger than the other; longer, deeper body, more rugged looking in general. The other looked more streamlined; shorter, thinner. Both now over 4" and doing fine - they eat like pigs and come readily to the front and top for food.

The larger one is more personable. He (I think it's a male) will feed from my hand, nips my fingers, and has, on one occasion, held the tip of my finger in his mouth like he wanted to swallow it. I've had him jump out of the water to try to get food from my hand!

The smaller one is friendly, but not as outgoing. Both are beautiful, and worth all the trouble, but some of you have to pay like $50 a fish, and at THAT price it may not be worth it to you. I figure my two ended up costing me about $50 each - I can live with that.

FYI: My large one is in my 75g which also contains a gt. The jd is a little bigger, and though they aren't friends with one another, they get along ok - They're in there with larger fish, so they have bigger fish to fry (pardon the expression)! :sim: The gt bothers no one, and is only harassed by my T. sp mixteco which doesn't seem to like him very much
 

csriram45

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Aug 17, 2006
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I stilll will be done with EBJDs mostly... I had 4 and 2 of them died within a week of my having got them... the other 2 are struggling.... I got them of a reputable person from the forums..but not matter what I tried to feed they did not eat....... i have tried most of the treatments but still struggling.... if my other 2 dont make it... I think I am just gonna give up on the EBJDs..... I just as frustrated.......
 

rosita

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Jan 11, 2006
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Most people don't know that the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey is a Hybrid--that's how breeders get that great color. Thus, as with some hybrids, there are numerous problems with them. They are more delicate, need almost perfect water parameters, the best tank environment you can provide, and then you have to figure out what each one will eat!! They are more susceptible to parasites and diseases that come along--often things that your other fish could deal with. Breeding will only give you problems, as a hybrid rarely breeds true to one of its species, much less with a third specie interoduced. Even breeding back to a normal Jack may be difficult to impossible. I'll never have one in my tanks--rather have a normal Jack. Make life alot easier!!!!
 

Cylon

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Sep 12, 2005
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Benton, IL
From my understanding the EBJD is a mutant jean that first surfaced in the early 80s. It's a weak jean like the albino jean. A breeder had a pair of common Dempsey's and he noticed some of his fries looked different and were getting picked on as they grew. He separated them and discovered the EBJD. They were introduced to the fish world at a fish show in the early 80s. I read that on a webpage somewhere when I researching the EBJD before I ever got one.

Some people get real mad about the hybrid rumor that got started. I know you just stated what you heard. My source could have been wrong aswell.
 

MacFish

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Jan 24, 2006
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I've done a lot of reading on them as well and I think they are a mutant gene not a hybrid.

I have one that about 5". Up till a week ago, he was very outgoing and had the same personality my regular jack had (minus the aggression).
All of a sudden, he is very skittish. Any movement outside the tank send him into a fit. I'm hoping it's temporary but I'm going to keep a close eye on him.
He still eats fine and I can move around while food is in the tank but as soon as the food is gone, I have sit very still or he swims around like a maniac bumping into rocks and the tank walls.
 

rmcder

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Jul 18, 2005
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The percentages that Ormed is getting with his breeding indicate a recessive gene is responsible for this variant. What is the supposed hybrid mix that gives you identical conformation but merely a different color? Thinking of the hybrids we know about, do any have all the same gross characteristics, but different color?
 

csriram45

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Aug 17, 2006
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MacFish said:
I've done a lot of reading on them as well and I think they are a mutant gene not a hybrid.

I have one that about 5". Up till a week ago, he was very outgoing and had the same personality my regular jack had (minus the aggression).
All of a sudden, he is very skittish. Any movement outside the tank send him into a fit. I'm hoping it's temporary but I'm going to keep a close eye on him.
He still eats fine and I can move around while food is in the tank but as soon as the food is gone, I have sit very still or he swims around like a maniac bumping into rocks and the tank walls.
Dont want to upset you but if he has started bumping into things etc.. its a sign of internal parasite. This is what I have read and noticed in my EBJDs. Ofcourse mine are juveniles and I am not sure if 5" ones have the same issue. Please keep me posted. If this is the case then I am most definitely giving up on EBJDs.... I have spent more time on them than anything and inspite of all the care they just seem too fragile....
 

MacFish

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Jan 24, 2006
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I wondered about that. He isn't really bumping into things, more like freaking out and running into things as he scrambles from the evil monster that is trying to get him on the outside of the tank :)

I used to feed medicated blood worms to him now and then to prevent parasites. I hadn't in a while so I did last night.

I may do it again later this week.
 
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rosita

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Jan 11, 2006
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My apologies, I had read an article referenced by a sister-site, supposedly quite reputable, that EBJD's are HYBRID. As we all know, we can't always believe what we read or hear.
However, from experience I can state that mutate and dilute genes such as albinism cause a host of problems, too. With horses, dogs, cats, cattle, and other domestic animals, we breed for the strongest and hardiest genes as a rule, as well as for the most attractive. When focusing only on the aesthetic aspect, a genetic weakening with various following consequences will occur. This, I have seen and experienced. I have a 9 yo Quarter Horse mare whose grandsire was the QH breed's 1st World Grand Champion Halter Class (shown for body, style, etc), with most desired physical/muscled bulk breeders had worked for--the Holy Grail. He covered thousands of mares in his lifetime, and not just in his breed. Unfortunately, due to the breeding focus on muscle genes, he carried genetic markers for a terrible, often debilitating and even deadly disease, called HYPP. All QH's and Paint Horses must now be tested at birth, as they can carry neg/pos or pos/pos, or neg/neg. If they carry a positive marker, morally they are not to be bred, but often are since they have the desired physique and command the $$. Tremors, full-body shakes, to convulsion--and the worst, just dropping dead--are the results. We were lucky, but not so many are.
Didn't mean to write a treatise, but hybrid or genetic mutation, there are consquences to the animals.
 
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