View Full Version : convicts in a small space
I have a friend who wants to put a pair of con's in a 10 gallon, is this a safe decision for her to make, tank space is a minimum I guess
Mad Hero
01-28-2003, 2:42 PM
I wouldn't think so. 10 is the minimum for ONE convict and thats kinda stetching it.
So, no.
GobyGuy5
01-28-2003, 2:43 PM
:eek: No way!
I really wouldn't think so, unless she was willing to do biweekly water changes when they get big. That seems to me like just a little to much bioload.............
If she really wanted the fish, in order for them to be healthy and happy she would have to get them a twenty long, at least!
o snap its eric
01-28-2003, 2:59 PM
i have a breedng pair in a 10g. i did it once and im doing it again. so not to worry tell her to go ahead but she cant put nothing else in there. and you can leave the fries in there too. the parents are doing very well right
GobyGuy5
01-28-2003, 3:05 PM
what!?! this defies the "laws" of fish stocking!
When do you do your water changes?
What are your nitrates at?
Mad Hero
01-28-2003, 3:10 PM
They will ultimately eat their fry, eric and it'll probally stunt growth.
No dude, get something bigger.
fish dude
01-28-2003, 3:57 PM
i haveb a pair(breeding) in a 5 gallon and they love it
Mad Hero
01-28-2003, 4:08 PM
Fishdude, i wouldn't take your advice either. If those 55 specs are right then you need to do some fish cleaning too. Major.
Ok guys for the sake of the fish im gonna lead her to something bigger, like what im doing and have a new question for myself, im currently breeding a pair in a 29 gallon and I just put in my clay pot and there is a massive amount of "bubbles" coming from it but have no color, just going to the top and thats it, is this harmful or should I worry???
fish dude
01-28-2003, 4:27 PM
my sig is wrong...brb.
fish dude
01-28-2003, 4:30 PM
i updated whats in there now..also my new fish!
Mad Hero
01-28-2003, 4:31 PM
You're still overstocked. Those fish will outgrow.
fish dude
01-28-2003, 4:40 PM
they will be moving in to my 125 soon an the piranha will take the 55:D
Originally posted by Mad Hero
You're still overstocked. Those fish will outgrow.
Extremely overstocked, that 55 is only big enough for one of those cichlids, let alone all of them plus the silver dollars and what not
Mad Hero
01-28-2003, 5:44 PM
In fact, i think that those fish still wouldn't be comfortable in a 125.
fish dude
01-29-2003, 10:24 AM
fure sure they will be comforatable in a 125 once i get rid of the cllown knife
esoxlucieus
01-29-2003, 2:26 PM
So at an adult size of about 3 lbs, and 7 fish in the tank is 21 lbs of fish in 55 gallons of water. or about 1 lb of fish to 2.6 gallons of water. Yeah I'm sure they will be very happy.:(
o snap its eric
01-29-2003, 3:50 PM
so far so good. had them for 3 months and fries been hatched and reaching the .75 inch stage. that 1 gallon per inch is not a rule you HAVE to follow. it is a good rule though. and conivcts max growth is just about 5inch. so 2 5inch convicts = 10. 10inchs = 10g. :) the fries will soon put them in a tank or sell it or just plain ol give it away. one more thing. they will ge along cuz they are mates. if you dont introduce any new convicts then there shouldnt be any serious agression towards each other.
o snap its eric
01-29-2003, 4:01 PM
acutallity no aquarium is big enough for any fish. you cant determine the fish's happiness at all. you think giving them a 10000g tank would make them happy. it might at all. maybe the fish prefers the wild. the atmosphere is just not the same.
fish dude: you can keep the your red bellies in a 55 for now until they become bigger (5inch-7inch) and more territorial. if you plan on leaving the P's in the 55g perm. you might just end up with 1-3 left. in my state, P's are cost more than the cichlids, i would put them in a 125. and all your cichlids in a 55. but then again maybe in your state cichlids cost more. but anyhow put the more expensive fish in the bigger tank.
Rare Cichlids
01-29-2003, 4:05 PM
Originally posted by esoxlucieus
So at an adult size of about 3 lbs, and 7 fish in the tank is 21 lbs of fish in 55 gallons of water. or about 1 lb of fish to 2.6 gallons of water. Yeah I'm sure they will be very happy.:(
The only fish he has that could ever get anywhere near 3 lbs. is the clown knife, which he says he is taking back. A 125g should be fine for 2 JD, A GT, and an Oscar.
esoxlucieus
01-29-2003, 6:56 PM
So you are saying that the Red Bellies can't get to 3 lbs? The record all tackle Red is 3.7 lbs. With 7 in a 55 they will not get to 3 lbs, well maybe 1 will.
Clowns can get WAY bigger than 3 lbs.
http://www.anglingthailand.com/data/pics/featherback/5(13).jpg
ScottoMacD
01-29-2003, 8:10 PM
After reading this entire thread I figured that I would throw in my 2 cents.
Breeding cons in a 10 gallon should be no problem. Filtration should be high though. An AC 150 would do nicely.
I would however remove the fry 3 or 4 days after free swimming. If you want to raise them that is. Removing them after free swimming will increase your survival rate 10 fold.
The parents will eventually eat them. You should also be prepared to split the tank if things between lovers gets nasty. You can use a divider in the tank in such a case till things cool down.
Fish dude: Of your fish these should be fine in the 125. I would lose the rest
1...2.5 inch tiger oscar
1...2.5 inch green terror
2...1.5 inch jack dempseys
Keep in mind though that the GT will be a handful.
[QUOTE] optix:
Extremely overstocked, that 55 is only big enough for one of those cichlids, [QUOTE]
Yes and No. All of those are too much for the tank, but He could very easily keep both JD's in that tank with no problems. Right now I have a 9" synspilum and a 7" dominant male JD in my 55. I only remove the JD to one of my other tanks when I am breeding him. Otherwise they live nicely together.
o snap its eric: That 1 gallon per inch rule certainly does not apply to larger more aggressive fish like cichlids. Barbs and such ...ok sometimes but not always.
But it certainly goes out the window with cichlids. You can't say that in 125 gallon for example stocking sixty-two 2" barbs would be the same as twelve 10" cichlids in a tank.
That is the beauty of cichlids. Most of the "rules " go right out the window. You never know what kind of fish you will get. I have tried combos of cichlids over the years that others have been successful with and failed miserably. On the other hand I have combos in my tanks right now that some say I shouldn't have and will never work. But they have and are. Have been for the 20 odd years I have been doing this. That's cichlids. That is what nmakes them so attractive to the aquarist.
My 2 cents.
fish dude
01-29-2003, 8:58 PM
i have some guy who has a HUGE tank and he told me, he needs it like at least 1.5 fett, when it egts theer hell give me whats its worth...p.s. how much is it worth. also any of those cichlids will not reach that lenghth. also eric you are right i might put the p's in the bigger tank. ttyl
Rare Cichlids
01-29-2003, 10:22 PM
Originally posted by esoxlucieus
So you are saying that the Red Bellies can't get to 3 lbs? The record all tackle Red is 3.7 lbs. With 7 in a 55 they will not get to 3 lbs, well maybe 1 will.
Clowns can get WAY bigger than 3 lbs.
http://www.anglingthailand.com/data/pics/featherback/5(13).jpg
I'm talking about the cichlids. This is the cichlid forum, not the pirahna forum. And it is very unlikely for a Red Belly to reach 3 lbs in any private aquarium. I know how big the knife will get. I said it was the only fish (out of the cichlid/knifefish tank) that would get anywhere near 3 lbs.. Not, that it would reach only 3 lbs. .
And yes, your cichlids will reach 10"+. Closer to 16" for the oscar.
esoxlucieus
01-29-2003, 10:46 PM
No I believe you said the only "Fish" , you did not use the word cichlid. All the Fish were included in the conversation about how to house the Fish.
esoxlucieus
01-29-2003, 10:49 PM
Scott. I could breed St. Bernards in a closet, but that dosen't mean that it would be right to do so or that the dogs would like it. Give the cons some room, at least a 20.
o snap its eric
01-29-2003, 11:40 PM
all the cichlids beside the kinfe you have fish dude, is alll going to be fully grown to 10-12" i think at that point its a desperate time to upgrade or even seperate them. them P's will do nice in a 125.... oh yah, if its not to gross for you throw in a mice at feeding time for your P's... nice feeding frenzy and good nutrition.
ScottoMacD
01-30-2003, 12:23 PM
Originally posted by o snap its eric
all the cichlids beside the kinfe you have fish dude, is alll going to be fully grown to 10-12"
Eric: JD's very rarely get close to 10" especially captive bred ones. 7" - 8" absoulute max.
My big male is a giant for a JD and he's only a little over 7 inches.
esoxlucieus: The average convict will not get over 4". Yes there are some that will get bigger but that is the exception.
I said that breeding them in a 10 is fine.
If that is what the fellow has, use it. It may not be optimal but It's not the end of the world.
Head out and find a big time breeder and see how they do it. It puts puppy mills to shame. Especially if the fish that is being bred is a common inexpensive one. It's not uncommon to see 100-150 1-2 " juveniles in a 40 gallon