The Gold Jack Dempsey is a pale metallic gold fish, with the species' blue-green flecks scattered over its cheeks and flanks. Red and pink show in the fins and on the belly, and tan mood markings come and go. It is a moderate challenge to keep.
Did you know
Pale Jack Dempseys like the gold have no naming standard among sellers. The same fish gets sold as gold, yellow, pink or leucistic depending on the shop. Fish sold as albino Jack Dempseys show dark eyes in every photo, which makes them golds.
Caring for the Gold Jack Dempsey
Keep a Gold Jack Dempsey singly or as a bonded pair in a tank of at least 55 gal (208 L). It grows, eats and fights like the standard fish, so keep it the same way. Give it a soft sand or fine gravel bed to dig, with caves and rockwork to claim. Skip loose plants, because it uproots anything not anchored well, and expect the decor to be rearranged.
Run the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. A big cichlid eats a lot and fouls the water, so weekly water changes matter. Feed quality pellets with frozen and live foods, such as bloodworms, earthworms and the odd shrimp.
It is aggressive and holds the middle of the water column, patrolling its patch hard. Tank mates need to be robust and close to its own size, because anything small gets hunted.
Gold Jack Dempseys are substrate spawners that lay their eggs on a cleaned flat surface. Both parents guard the eggs and fry hard and drive off anything that comes near, including much larger fish. Breeding them takes a little experience.
The line breeds true, so two gold parents give all gold fry. A gold crossed to an electric blue gives normal-looking fry that carry both genes. Pairing those fry throws golds, blues and the occasional electric pink.
Good to know
Gold is a recessive trait in the Jack Dempsey, Rocio octofasciata. Breeders report the gold line as hardy as a regular Jack Dempsey, unlike the electric blue.
In the wild
The Gold Jack Dempsey line was bred in captivity, and no wild population carries it. No breeder, farm, country or year is on record for it. Keepers who bred it in the 2000s could only say the fish all trace to one source. Yellow Jack Dempseys were already common in the US trade by 2005. Small breeders and shops like Bailey's Tropicals and Pet Zone carry the line today, and the big online shops do not.
From published sources
Tank mates
Each fish here is named as a tank mate for the Gold Jack Dempsey by at least two published care guides. Aquarium Source recommends keeping it on its own instead. These pairings assume a tank of 130 gallons (500 liters) or more, with caves and broken sight lines.
Is a Gold Jack Dempsey a different species from the Jack Dempsey?
No. A Gold Jack Dempsey is a variety of the Jack Dempsey, Rocio octofasciata, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.
Is a gold Jack Dempsey an albino?
No. The eye stays dark with a gold ring, and albinism would leave it red. The gold is hypomelanistic, which means most of the dark brown pigment is missing from the body while the eye keeps its pigment.
Does a gold Jack Dempsey breed true?
Yes. Two gold parents give all gold fry, unlike the electric blue, which needs a cross to a normal-looking carrier to raise a spawn. A gold crossed to a standard Jack Dempsey gives normal-looking fry that carry the gold gene.
What size tank does a Gold Jack Dempsey need?
A Gold Jack Dempsey needs at least 55 gal (208 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What does a Gold Jack Dempsey eat?
A Gold Jack Dempsey eats quality pellets, plus frozen and live foods such as bloodworms, earthworms and the odd shrimp.
How big does a Gold Jack Dempsey get?
An adult Gold Jack Dempsey reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
How does a Gold Jack Dempsey breed?
A Gold Jack Dempsey is a substrate spawner that lays its eggs on a cleaned flat surface. Both parents guard the eggs and fry, even against much larger fish.
9.8 in (25 cm)159 gal (600 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
9.8 in (25 cm)75 gal (285 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
9.8 in (25 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
9.8 in (25 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
10.2 in (26 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)