Jack Dempsey Cichlid Rocio octofasciata

Jack Demsey was a champion American heavyweight boxer of the 1920s. The Jack Dempsey cichlid is named after him in view of its aggressive nature.

It is native to slow-moving freshwater habitats, including mangrove swamps, from southern Mexico to Honduras; it has also been introduced to USA, Australia and Thailand.

They have iridescent metallic spots, dark bars on the flanks and two dark bars across the forehead. Actual colour can darken with stress or breeding. The larger males can reach 25cm long. Females can lay well over 500 eggs in a single spawn and both parents are extremely aggressive and territorial to other fish when spawning, incubating and tending their fry (although they might eat them if disturbed or stressed).