Remarks:  The Jack Dempsey cichlid is a large, colorful, and territorial species native to Central America. They are mostly found in Mexico, but they can also be found in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras in a variety of different habitats. This diversity in natural habitats has made the Jack Dempsey cichlid a very hardy and adaptable species when in captivity. They have been known to thrive in both hard and soft water but they usually are the healthiest and show the most amount of color when kept in neutral conditions.

  For many years Jack Dempsey cichlids have been a popular cichlid among aquarists due to how hardy they are, their impressive size, feisty nature, and bright colors. While juveniles only have a few metallic blue scales, they tend to get more and more as they age until it covers a large majority of their body and fins as long as they are healthy. Females will have less of these dazzling scales with some males being almost completely covered in them. The Jack Dempsey's common name comes from an American heavyweight boxer of the same name that was well known back in the 1920s. Aquarists at this time thought the strong, defined jaw and aggressive nature resembled the boxer and the name has stuck even to this day.

  Jack Dempsey cichlids are highly territorial and are large predators so great care should be taken if one plans to house them with other fish. Anything small enough to fit in their expansive mouths is very likely to be eaten and any fish that is timid or looks similar is likely to be a target for bullying. When keeping them with other large cichlids, plenty of space should be provided with the tank being at least 150 gallons. However, pairs of Jack Dempseys can be kept in a smaller tank with 75 gallons being sufficient for a single pair as they tend to form strong, peaceful bonds. Pairs also tend to be excellent parents, carefully tending to eggs they lay on flat surfaces and even chewing up food into smaller pieces to feed their fry when they hatch. This makes Jack Dempseys a fun fish to breed or just to simply keep and appreciate their dazzling colors and interesting behaviors.