convicts

[kribman]

What are the smallest fish that can be kept with convicts?

[Tommy]

It depends on a bunch of different things like what size tank?...paired and breeding convicts? If you are breeding cons in a 10g tank then the answer is there IS no other fish that can be kept with them. If it's a 100 gallon then there may be many...Are you talking other Cichlids or like danios, tetras, etc...?

[kribman]

I have a 30 gallon with some kribensis, danios,emperor tetras, and feeder guppies. the feeder guppies should be eaten though.

[LongTime]

I don't know the answer to your question but I don't think size is the criteria. As pugnacious as convicts are they may kill a fish that is too large for them to eat. I think it is more a matter of temperament. Take a look at my 125. The convicts have bred and currently they are in control of all but about 2' of a 6' tank.

[hle_81]

schooling fish like tiger barbs or blackskirt tetras should do well w/ convicts

[N8DOGG]

You can bread Convicts in a 10 gallon? If you can that would be cool to have them sitting on my desk, if not I'll have to wait to get another tank
N8

[Tommy]

It can be done in a 10g but I don't recommend it. The reason is that there is nowhere for the female to take a break between spawns. If you have a relentless male in a tank that size, you are going to end up with a dead female pretty quickly.

[LongTime]

Originally posted by Tommy
It can be done in a 10g but I don't recommend it. The reason is that there is nowhere for the female to take a break between spawns. If you have a relentless male in a tank that size, you are going to end up with a dead female pretty quickly.

Plus they have large schools. It would hard keeping the nitrates down anyway because of the usually overfeeding that comes with raising fry. In a tank that small, I wonder if you keep even stay ahead of the curve.

[N8DOGG]

thats what I thought 2 3" fish is a 10 gal, no way, plus fry, really don't think so. I have a 30 gal just sitting around and this might be better, maybe. I'm waiting for my 190 gal and I'd like something to do, I would like to try and breed some kind of cichlids and convicts mature fast. how may do I need to start with in a 30 gal? can I start with 1 male and 1 female? if I can is there any way to tell them apart when they are about 1 inch?

[LongTime]

The only way I can sex them is by the orange abdomen spot the female gets as she ripens. IMO, with cichlids it is always better to let them choose their mates, but convicts are such avid breeders you could probably bypass that.

Of course you are going to cycle the tank. As for as decorations, they like caves and rocks. They don't mind plants and don't dig as much as some cichlids do. Just make sure there are places the female can retreat to when the male is ready but she isn't.

They aren't particular about the water conditions. If they are young the first few tries may be unsuccessful, but tat is not always the case. The pair I have now were first time breeders and the fry are everywhere!

One more thing. think about 5" and maybe 6"