Named after the former heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey, The Jack Dempsey Cichlid is an aggressive fish. It is, however, an extremely hardy fish that will do well in most conditions. Its spunk will give much enjoyment to its caretaker. They will also add color to any aquarium.

Jack Dempsey Cichlids should not be put in a community aquarium. They do best in a species tank, or with other similarly sized aggressive fish. Dempsey Cichlids get quite aggressive, and stake out there territory. They are especially territorial when spawning. It has been reported that the Jack Dempseys' aggression tends to increase with water temperature. 78 degrees Fahrenheit is said to be a good calm temperature to keep them in. Raising the temperature will also help induce spawning. They require lots of space. A tank of at least 45 gallons is recommended for the Dempsey Cichlid. They should not be placed in a tank with live plants, because they will probably eat them. They need four to five inches of gravel on the substrate because they like to dig. Also, there should be plenty of rock and caves for them to hide in, and some driftwood. They especially enjoy clay flowerpots for hiding places.

The Jack Dempsey changes color depending on several factors, mainly age, mood and the level of stress. Healthy specimens have an attractive muted purple color. Also, on each side of the body and tail, there is a black spot. The dorsal side of the Jack Dempsey Cichlid has dark stripes. Their scales have greenish-yellow spots, which form a sharp contrast to the dark color of the fish. When the Jack Dempsey reaches maturity, it will have a length of seven to eight inches. Also, the bright greenish-yellowish spots will become dimmer as the Jack Dempsey gets older. If it gets ill, the Dempsey will lighten, and the colored spots will not be as contrasted to the brown-black color of the body. Males can be differentiated from females by their elongated anal and dorsal fins. Jack Dempsey's have a life span of roughly eight to ten years.

The Jack Dempsey Cichlid, or Cichasoma octofasciatum, is originally from Central America, specifically, Guatemala. Because of its fighting demeanor, it was named after Jack Dempsey.

The Jack Dempsey is a good, hardy fish. While not being a picky eater, the Dempsey can have trouble adjusting to new foods. It is best to alter their day to day diet with: pellets, shrimp, tubifex worms, plankton, lettuce, earthworms, snails, and guppies. The better you feed a Jack Dempsey Cichlid, the more colorful it will become. It has been reported that the Jack Dempsey will also eat flake food, as well as crayfish, grasshoppers and small frogs. Dempsey's prefer slightly acid and mildly hard water. A pH level of six to seven will do well. They have a small temperature range, needing their water to be between 72 and 78 degrees fahrenheit.

This species can be easy to breed, given the correct conditions. It is good to have a piece of wood, or large flat rock for the Jack Dempsey to spawn on. Once hatched, both parents will care for the fry.