Title: Freshwater Fishes
Species #: 95
Common Name: Jack Dempsy Fish Scientific Name:
Rocio octofasciata
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family: Cichlidae
Geography / Habitat: North and Central America: Atlantic slope from southern Mexico (Papaloapán River) to Honduras (Ulua River).Occurs in swampy areas with warm, murky water. Found in weedy, mud-bottomed and sand-bottomed canals and drainage ditches. Prefers coastal plains and slow moving waters of the lower river valleys Life Strategy: These fish are very protective parents. They will dig a pit on the bottom and line it with flat rocks where they will lay their eggs on. Both parents help incubate the eggs and guard the fry when they hatch. Jack Dempsey's are known to be attentive parents, pre-chewing food to feed to their offspring. Food / Feed Strategy: Feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and fish
Body Form or Style: Compressiform Swim / Locomotion Style: Labriform Mouth Position: Terminal
Citation: Search FishBase. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://www.fishbase.org/search.php>. Name, Common. "Marine Fish Species." AC Tropical Fish & Aquarium. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/marinefish/>.