Is this a Jack Dempsey?

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White Knight

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Sep 23, 2005
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It was sold to me as one from Petco, but it looks a little different to me. I asked the guy and he said "he thinks" it's a Jack Dempsey, but I'd like to make sure. If you need better pics, I'll send them. I bought two, at $3.99 each. They are about 2" or a little less.

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FishAddict74

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Dec 8, 2020
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It was sold to me as one from Petco, but it looks a little different to me. I asked the guy and he said "he thinks" it's a Jack Dempsey, but I'd like to make sure. If you need better pics, I'll send them. I bought two, at $3.99 each. They are about 2" or a little less.

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View attachment 227982
Looks like it could be a low grade Flowerhorn, the last pic especially, even for a low grade, $4 is very good
Here’s a vid of a low grade FH I had for comparison
 
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Wyomingite

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Oct 16, 2008
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It could be a young jack dempsey, with the red edge along the dorsal and the prominent spot at the base of the caudal fin. If it is, I'd expect it to be showing blue flecking on the sides and unpaired fins at that size, and that largest spot along the side should be showing a little more color around it as well. I can't tell if that's not showing because of picture quality or if it's not there.

That said, at that size, it very well could be a flowerhorn as well. I've been looking for a female dempsey to go with my male, and I know the local PetSmart mixes their dempseys with flowerhorns and at that size they can be hard to tell apart. Especially for a big box retail employee who went through a 10-minute training session before being turned out into the world as an "aquatic specialist".

WYite
 

FishAddict74

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Dec 8, 2020
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It could be a young jack dempsey, with the red edge along the dorsal and the prominent spot at the base of the caudal fin. If it is, I'd expect it to be showing blue flecking on the sides and unpaired fins at that size, and that largest spot along the side should be showing a little more color around it as well. I can't tell if that's not showing because of picture quality or if it's not there.

That said, at that size, it very well could be a flowerhorn as well. I've been looking for a female dempsey to go with my male, and I know the local PetSmart mixes their dempseys with flowerhorns and at that size they can be hard to tell apart. Especially for a big box retail employee who went through a 10-minute training session before being turned out into the world as an "aquatic specialist".

WYite
Haha that’s so true, whenever I’m in one of those places, I cringe when I here the advice they’re giving to people
 

FreshyFresh

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Jan 11, 2013
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They could be. It's going to take some time in a healthy, happy environment for them to color-up and expand their fins the way they should.

Post back with pics in 10days or so if you can!
 

White Knight

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Sep 23, 2005
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Thanks for the replies everyone! Unfortunately, one of the two passed away days after I took the pics. The other fish is doing well, and seems to have grown some since those pics were taken on November 8th. Today is exactly a month later, so here's some more. Sorry for the quality of the pics, he won't stand still. :) Also, don't think I don't clean the tank often because of the poop, I just did on Thursday. They go a lot lol.

IMG_3833.JPEG

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Wyomingite

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From the first pic my thought ’Oh! A flowerhorn!’. I stand by my thought, that a FH.
Those last pics have me leaning toward a flowerhorn as well. I would like to see an updated picture, though.

WYite
 
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