Convict cichlids

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 27 May 2004, 04:15

I was at the lfs today and noticed they had a shipment of small convicts in and several pairs had already formed and some females were very pregnant so i baught a pair that looked particularly healthy and braught them on home. I have them in a 35 gallon half hex tank,small gravle substrate,large rocks and caves,and soem java moss, Will this be adequate for them to spawn and survive in? Also what type of filtration should i use once they have spawned and the baby fish are free in the water? Right now it has a h.o.t type filter and a air bubble. The tank has 5 neon tetras and a banjo catfish in it,but i assume they will be fine with the cichlids,right? Also how many fry can i expect from my cichlids,they are about 2.5-3 inches. I am planning on feeding them crushed flakes and as they grow i'll move on to chopped bloodworms and whole flakes. One more question and im done, after they are done breading and i have all the babys situated in other tanks and all,what would be a good catfish or two to put in with them,one that might allow them to breed still. Thanks

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 27 May 2004, 07:47

uh oh.....

you DO know they're called CONVICTS, yes?
that's not for the stripes......

But for their similar behaviour!

in other words:
your other fish (especially the Banjo!) will be smoked/toast/levelled/iced/begotten Mideaval upon......

I'm sure you get the point.
Convicts are mean, tough and very prolific, they're easier to breed than guppies and in higher numbers as well.

A 35G will become their territory, and all other fish in there are goners.
they can only be combined with other fish if you have a 5 foot tank or more, and then only with tough buggers, such as Synodontis, Mystus, other Central American cichlids and the like.

Something as helpless as a Banjo-cat will be terrorized and dismantled in short order

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 28 May 2004, 07:18

Ok everything is out of the tank except for the two convicts. Now could i put another convict or two in there or some other kind of smaller cichlid? Or maybe some kind of tough catfish like a stripe raphael?

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 28 May 2004, 12:49

no, no and a big NO! on the Raphael.