# My Jack Dempsey Like Snails.....



## JBarlak (Mar 16, 2008)

I can't keep a single algae eating animal in the tank without the pair finding them and eating them. Does anyone have any suggestions. The tank is planted and I bought the mystery snails from Beverlys since they were buy get one free and the salesman told me they should be safe with the Jack pair.
Oh well time to go back to the drawing board.
I have tried plecos, flying foxes, shrimp, oty cats without any luck.


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## Kogo (Mar 14, 2008)

they killed plecos?

which type and size?


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## JBarlak (Mar 16, 2008)

common ones @ 3". i thought the pleco was just laying there and then i saw his whole underside eaten out. I know he was healthly, because he came out of my other tank without any problems. It seems whenever I turn on those tank lights they hunt down anything that is not a dempsey and beat it up


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## forguppies (Dec 18, 2006)

If you need snails, I have plenty of them. PM me if you need more info. I can give you 60-70 or any other amount you need.


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## JBarlak (Mar 16, 2008)

I can get snails out of my other tanks but I was trying to keep the algae down so I thought larger snails would deter them from eating them, but no good.


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## forguppies (Dec 18, 2006)

What type of alage do you have?


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## Kogo (Mar 14, 2008)

i think the big snails are actually easier for the fish to eat


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## JBarlak (Mar 16, 2008)

oh no. I drop the small ones in the tank, they pick them off before the hit the ground. Eat them like chocolate covered bonbons


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## mskitty (Jan 11, 2008)

get a (sorry i cant spell for anything) pacomous. i want to see them eat that fish!


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## JBarlak (Mar 16, 2008)

they have eaten common plecos on me. bit off fins and then flipped over and ate the belly out of them. They will be going to a bigger tank where algae shouldnt be a problem. I wll get a school of cory cats


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## Starrett1350 (Jul 17, 2008)

Ill bet they think Cory Cats taste even better...


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## cal1112333 (Aug 27, 2008)

I did some research for you!
Please excuse my typos.

 Apparently Jacks will get along with anything thats not too tiny but they need to have been there first. Anything introduced after they live in that tank will get owned, but I've read some articles with dianos, plecos, and goroumis just to name a few. 
My suggestion would be have a tank sparsely inhabited (just incase) and move them over for awhile, let your algae eaters settle in, move some stuff around and after a few days bring them back.

Again tho, I have no experience with them just what ive gotten thru research.


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Still having an algae problem or did you get it under control? Ever find something that would survive?


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## hokese (Nov 15, 2008)

also with jds,i have them plenty of times b4,and the pair you have sounds like the pair of terminators i used to have,just remember even putting a super armoured catfish in with them,still wont stop them killing it,i found out the hard way,i put a huge pleco in with my jds with PLENTY of cover,and as soon as the jds got the chance,they ripped the plecos eyes out!its usally what they do if unabale to deter it or hold it back from there territory,ive had flowerhorns rip out cats eyes b4 too.just something to consider,as for your snail,they will just keep on becoming food for the jds,once they get the taste for em,chomp,chomp.alot of fish attack the eyes,cant see cant fight.i have a pair of blue acaras,that do,what i call the "team attack",if they have a fish that is to large to beat 1 on 1,both my ba attack together,the larger male liplocks with the other fish,while the smaller female whips around the side pecking at the intruders eyes.anywhoo jusy something to consider,jds can be ruthless fellas,even worse when a pair is formed.the last pair i had,took over my whole 208gal,they just wanted all the room so they took it...


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## Donny417 (Jan 9, 2009)

Easy fix, find a 8" jaguar and throw him in there along with a rhino pleco. They might kill the jag, they might not, but they'll be too busy with him to worry about the pleco...


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## DarkRevoultions (Sep 5, 2008)

JBarlak said:


> I can't keep a single algae eating animal in the tank without the pair finding them and eating them. Does anyone have any suggestions. The tank is planted and I bought the mystery snails from Beverlys since they were buy get one free and the salesman told me they should be safe with the Jack pair.
> Oh well time to go back to the drawing board.
> I have tried plecos, flying foxes, shrimp, oty cats without any luck.


Jack Dempseys are known to be very aggressive. Although I had jack dempseys together with my plecos before, and they never got eaten. Plecos are known as armored fishes but as everything in life, has weak spots..

Plecos can be killed by a poke in the eyes or at the soft belly. Although how big is your tank and how big are your dempseys? That can be helpful for some people to help diagnose your problem.


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## jmodine (Apr 17, 2011)

Get some assasin snails. they do both scavenge and eat algae and eat meat products. they are also dempsey resistant. I dont know why but we breed jacks and they dont eat assasin snails. anything else they eat so i would try those.


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## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Jack Dempseys are agressive carnivors and will eat try to eat anything that will fit in their mouths. A small tank (< 35G) isn't good for Dempseys, it makes their agression worse. Fast Barbs or spiny African Cats might have a chance. Try feeding Live Ghost Shrimp. They might eat a little Algae before they get eaten!


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## erin4444 (Jul 1, 2011)

What about an African Knife fish? We have much the same problem with our Oscar. We bought a large 5 inch Plec and made a cave for it to hide in. It has worked for 4 days. If this does not work the fish store near us recommended the African Knife said they are very agressive and can hide in a tube.


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## badkelpie (Mar 30, 2011)

Mine did that too, I eventually found a big enough mystery snail that he couldn't eat him. I did come home one day to find the snail beaten up. He recovered and the two lived together for a long time. The snail was between golf ball and tennis ball size when he died. I still have him .


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## austin (Sep 4, 2011)

i have had a few bottom feeders get tore up try finding a full grown red tailled shark 6in - 8 in they are aggressive enough to hold there own but will keep to them selves if left alone make sure you get your jacks out and re arrange your aquarium to deter them being territorial and let your shark find some hiding spots with the jacks in the tank and the light off first or just feed hem plecos lol


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