A gold Jack Dempsey is a pale metallic gold fish with the blue-green flecks of the species scattered over its cheeks and flanks. Red and pink show in the fins and on the belly, and tan mood markings come and go. Shops sell it as gold Jack Dempsey, and some list the same fish as pink. The eye stays dark with a gold ring, so this is not an albino. It grows, eats and fights like the standard fish, so keep it the same way.
In the wild
The gold 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.
Good to know
Gold is a recessive trait, and the line breeds true, so two gold parents give all gold fry. The fish is hypomelanistic. Most of the dark brown melanin drops out of the body, while the eye keeps its pigment. A gold crossed to a standard Jack Dempsey gives normal-looking fry that carry the gene. A gold crossed to an electric blue gives normal-looking fry carrying both genes, and pairing those throws golds, blues and the occasional electric pink. Breeders report the gold as hardy as a regular Jack Dempsey, unlike the electric blue.
Did you know
Sellers have no naming standard for pale Jack Dempseys. 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.
Common questions
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.
How big does a Gold Jack Dempsey get?
An adult Gold Jack Dempsey reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
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)