the females get the bright colors and stay small, while the males are fairly plain and get large. If you want such couple to be created in a tank, you need to keep a small school of the fish with equal number of male and female in it. At FishSpark my top priority is to share actionable information for professional and hobbyist fishkeepers like myself. The males will have larger anal and dorsal fins, whilst females will be smaller with more coloration. This fish is an active fish. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins of the male fish may be longer in certain species, according to the Fish Channel. They are slow water fanatics and enjoy a mixture or sand and rock substrates. A mature female will have brighter markings and will often get yellow or red spots amongst their belly once they become sexually explicit. This fish’s striking appearance, coupled with its ease of care, makes it an excellent choice for beginners and experts alike. You can use a mixture or rocks and sand as your substrate. Still have questions? In most types of cichlid fish, the male will be larger than the female, measuring up to a full inch inch longer. At this stage is when you need to separate the father from the fry because the father has been known to become aggressive and at times eat his young. Jim Carrey mocks Melania Trump in new painting, Tony Jones, 2-time Super Bowl champion, dies at 54, Biden’s executive order will put 'a huge dent' in food crisis, UFC 257: Poirier shocks McGregor with brutal finish, Why people are expected to lose weight in the new year, 'A menace to our country': GOP rep under intense fire, Filming twisty thriller was no day at the office for actor, Anthony Scaramucci to Trump: 'Get out of politics', Tiffany Haddish flaunts body transformation, Ariz. Republicans censure McCain, GOP governor. Convict Cichlids need a minimum of 30 gallons of water. These fish will be easy prey and will be taken out first by the Zebra Cichlid. Live Female Black (Zebra) Convict Cichlid Tropical Aquarium Fish Tank Raised. (NOTE: The "Regular morph" photo that you see first is a male - compare that with the "adult female" shots and the "courting pair" photo). Being omnivores, they aren’t too picky when it comes to their feeding. They can and will become very aggressive and violent to other fish within its territory. Thankfully, there are several fish that should work in a convict cichlid tank, though it’s important to understand these tankmates will only work with non-breedingconvicts. Step 3. Get your answers by asking now. Although, this fish may look as it plays nice with others. Along with they make great parents to their fry. Aggression runs inside the blood of most if not all of the fish within the Cichlidae family. So, they will eat most anything placed in front of them. There are many different species with the Cichlidae family; one of the most popular members of the family is the Black Convict Cichlid. No matter the name this sturdy fish is easy to care for making it the ideal fish for a beginner hobbyist. For whichever cause of concern, they just won’t breed in the tank. If you are a beginner looking to purchase this breed of fish, it’s important to just start out with a single Convict to a tank of their own. Their elegance and physical…, Hobbyist that have a little to a whole lot of experience behind caring for fish…, Known as a popular community fish that can be widely found in home aquariums as…, Weather you are a first-time aquarium owner or a seasoned professional it’s not always easy…, Your email address will not be published. Their temperament and protective instincts don’t allow them to. Due to their small size they don’t need a whole lot of water to live in. This means that you must wait until all the fish are sexually mature in order to determine whether you have male or female fish. Under most circumstances’ humans are omnivores. Required fields are marked *. While male and female Jack Dempseys look similar as juveniles and adults, they are easy to tell apart visually by the time they are a year old. The males are larger and have longer extensions on their dorsal and anal fins. This behavior is common for fish of this family. Although, if you take a mating pair and at least 50 gallons of water these fish will begin popping out fry left and right. Now you know whether or not the Zebra Convict is the fit for your tank of if these rowdy fish are too much. Determining whether you have a male or female is easy and straightforward for this breed of fish. These fish come from lakes and streams in this region with a moderate amount of current. How many gallons/how large of a tank is good to keep 1 African Dwarf frog, 6 neon tetras, 2 platinum guppies, 1 small betta, & 2 zebras? My female African dwarf frog isn't moving much and she is somewhat bloated too? Find a brand specifically for Cichlids. Males are larger than females, and they have more pointed ventral, dorsal and anal fins which often extend into filaments. Always ensure the fish have plenty of food and no reason to attack each other. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The female has orange scales on her lower body and dorsal fins and the male is larger, less colorful, has a steeper forehead and longer fins. As crazy as that sounds it’s true. Usually the males will get the brightest colors, but for convicts, the male's dorsal fin will sweep back longer and fuller than the female's. : Same pair of Convict Cichlids with a … You are just mixing the recessive genes back into where they originated, not creating a hybrid. the males will also get a large hump on their "foreheads" as they mature. Most of the Convict Cichlid are black, but due to selective breeding, there are now Convict Cichlid of different varieties and colours such … Females may also be more colorful than males. They are territorial and aggressive; a bad combination to live inside a small tank with other fish it size or smaller. All convict cichlids are monomorphic. The minimum tank size we would recommend for Convict Cichlids is around 25 gallons. If you are going to put tank mates, ensure they are larger than the Black Convict Cichlid; and can stand their ground. I can watch them for hours, whether in an aquarium, in a lake, river or sea. The White Convict Cichlid or Pink Convict Cichlid are imitating albino varieties that are cream and pink, and lack the distinctive vertical bars. So, keeping multiple Black Convicts together is not a problem. I am the editor here at FishSpark,com. Determining whether you have a male or female is easy and straightforward for this breed of fish. A convict cichlid intruder approximately 10 mm SL larger than the male of the parental pair was haphazardly chosen from a large stock tank of male convict cichlids and was added to the intruder area. Water predicaments stay the same with the one change of heat. It means we eat both meats and vegetables. Just know that keeping two together will result in breeding. There are a lot of videos on youtube for visual comparison. Black Convict Cichlids can survive and flourish off many types of foods. Black Ghost Knife Fish - A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts), Silver Dollar Fish - A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts), Swordtail Fish - A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts), Tetra Fish – A Complete Guide – Care, Diet, Facts, Bichir – A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts), Bolivian Ram – A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts), 21 Pond Plants: For Everyone (Ultimate List), Pearl Gourami – A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts). Black Convict Cichlids are not a fish that backs down in a fight. When setting up your tank it’s important to keep in mind that you can use rocks and or other props that add a debris feel to it. With the scientific name of Archocentrus Nigrofasciatus. Convict Cichlid Breeding - FAQ aka the 'Convict Capers' This is a day by day journal of two pairs of breeding convict cichlids who share an aquarium, and who spawn happily together. That is known to be highly aggressive and territorial. It gives full detail of events and stages of daily development of the fry, as well the parenteral care. All fish of this breed are monomorphic. The easiest part of raising a Convict is breeding them. However, the standard length has been reported to be 4.7 inches with a body weight of about 1.2 to 1.3 ounces . This fish is not a community fish. Which makes it easier to just say they aren’t bred to play well with others and can cause disruption in a community tank. They are pink and yellow with no stripes. In the wild they are most commonly found in large streams and rivers. At FishSpark my top priority is to share actionable information for professional and hobbyist fishkeepers like myself. Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Rather feed it multiple times throughout the day in small portions; this is healthier for the fish all around. Although, prefer a PH between 6.6 and 7.8. Although a male will pack a larger anal fin. Following behind Oscars and Angelfish. They would enjoy it most fresh although as mentioned before they won’t complain about food. Convict Cichlid Facts. Hiding from larger predators. $14.99 to $24.99. actually, in convicts, its the opposite of the norm. He protects her from other fish and puffs up to chase other males away from her. With that being said they need at least 30 gallons; and recommended 40+ gallons. Creating a mess for your filtration system to clean up. This way you don’t have to worry about doing something wrong and causing a massacre. As long as you follow some guidelines it shouldn’t be hard. Their sturdiness, easiness to care for, and coloration. These vibrant fish are white with black stripes amongst its body, as a mature adult these fish will most often have 8 to 9 stripes along its back. Their different types can be found in countries all along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts such as Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. : Here's a closer view of the female Convict carefully watching over her babies on the rock. They have the common name of "convict" because of the white and black contrasting patterns they sport. Once the eggs are fertilized the female becomes a protector of her eggs as the male becomes a protector of the area as a whole. Black Convict Cichlids get their name from their appearance of white and black stripes. Not just any breed feed. Don’t let their aggressive manners fool you; Convict Cichlids are very nurturing fish. Sometimes called Zebra Cichlid or Convict Cichlid, this fish has a pattern of black stripes on a grayish background and a greenish tint on the fins. These fish spawn year-round and don’t have gaps where they cannot spawn. Comments: These are awesome fish with light bodies and dark vertical bars. The easiest way to tell is the males are much larger and the females are smaller and when the female is ready to spawn she will have a "breeding tube" that comes out of her under belly close to her anal fins, it will be visible for about a week. It really sounds like you have a male and female considering the color comes out in the one during aggression only (male probably) while the other sounds female. Behaviors: Black Convicts are usually aggressive fish, and they are even more aggressive when preparing to spawn, … Territorial fish will do anything to ensure they do not lose what is theirs. They can be in a tank community with strict rules. This will escalate aggressive behaviors causing trouble throughout the whole tank. You will be left with the Convict Cichlid and nothing else. From what I've read I assumed that one is a female. So, it’s important to get strong plant life that can handle a little abuse from the fish. Sexing a Black Convict Cichlid. When purchasing a pair of Black Convicts, it’s important to allow space for fish to maneuver and protect. If you could tell it was showing its breeding tube then I'd say female. So, it’s best to purchase a filtration system that can keep up with your troublemaker fish. Ensure no fish comes anyway near them and will do anything to protect their young. Or it can cause it to overeat and get sick; along with pollute the tank. They will do best if the tank is turned up to 84°F. I have 3 convict cichlids.The smallest 1 has bright spots on its belly. In case you have one male & one female Convict Cichlid in the aquarium, they would pair-up as young as 5 to 6 months of age. Convict Cichlids are used to the hot waters of South America and should live within a tank that is 79°F to 84°F. This can cause fish to not receive enough in one sitting and become starved and eat its tank mate. Females will have more vibrant coloration than a male. Sat May 09, 2009 1:52 am Buy It Now +$60.00 shipping. Although, you will need to have a mating pair before any of this will happen. The male is mostly gray with light black stripes along the body. Also keep in mind that these fish need to only be housed with fish larger than them that way they can’t bully them without being put in their place. Black Convicts get along with those of its kind. Once the Black Convict Cichlids reach maturity (around 7 months) they will begin to breed. Being found in multiple variations of water has forced this fish to adapt into many water conditions. Buy It Now +$60.00 shipping. You may use shelters you purchase, flowerpots turned upside down, floating sticks, or anything that provides a hideout for the fish to lay. We know the sizes convict cichlids can grow to as a species, and their average temperament. The male convict cichlid grows up to 6 inches in length, while the female grows to an average length of 4 inches. She isn't dead just worries me some ? The female's will be rounded and short. In a breeding tank you need at least a 50+ gallon tank. Before selective breeding it was very rare to find Convict fish of other color variations. Their natural habitat has plenty of wood and rocks for them to … They even find themselves a little fun in digging into your substrate from time to time. Black Convict Cichlids are naturally found in warm climates of Central America; running from Costa Rica to Panama. They are great fish for a beginner in a single fish tank. After 5 days the fry will scurry away from the yolk sac and will begin wandering the tank on their own. The eggs will hatch in 2-3 days and the fry should be swimming around within a week. There are many different species with the Cichlidae family; one of the most popular members of the family is the Black Convict Cichlid. More nearly every other fish it size or smaller it shouldn ’ t put any smaller or aggressive. 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