Hi Guys

Z

Zoo

AC Members
Apr 22, 2006
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New to site. Loved reading all the posts...I can't believe how much knowledge you guys have. And the fact you want to share and help people like me if fantastic.

I currently have a 29g w/a pleco (don't know the type of gender but I have had him/her for 3yrs and it has grown to aprox 4-5 inches then stopped), and a black convict. I will be adding (as soon as I can acquire it) a BN.

My ? is what other fish can I put in w/the convict. I know convicts are aggressive but so far this one has not shown any aggression. Its a male aprox 31/2 inches. I had him in a community tank and he did excellent, the reason I moved him was because the barbs did not like him and were chasing him constantly.

My other ? is stocking for a 55g. I want to make it a dwarf cichlid tank but I don't know how many or what the most colorful ones are. I would also like to put 2 BN in to help w/algae control. And can I use regular gravel or would some-sort of substrate be better?

Alot of questions and hopefully you guys can help me out on this. :hi:

Thanks and nice to be a member
 
just so you know your pleco is gona have to come out of there soon and almost anyone else who responds will probably agree. those fish get to be 24" as an adult wich is way to big for your 29g. you also said that it grew to 4-5" and then stopped. plecos do naturally slow thier growth rates at a about 5-6" but this could also be one of the results of stunting from being in to small a tank.A full grown pleco will need a tank atleast 280g (72"x30"x24"high) to live healthy, so unless you can afford a tank that big your gonna have to bring it back to the store.
 
dorkfish said:
just so you know your pleco is gona have to come out of there soon and almost anyone else who responds will probably agree.
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Agreed. And trying to find a tankmate for the con is a problem, not much can go with them in that sized tank. Mabey a severum...im drawing a blank on much else.

As for a 55 Dwarf tank, I have a 55 with 2 pairs of dwarves(rams and cacatoos), along with a school of hatchets(top level), a school of cardinal tetras(mid level) and a school of golden 4 line cats(bottom). I like the look of some common fish making it seem like an average tank, then a few really nice ones hidding arround somewhere.
 
I am not worried about the smaller pleco. It was bought as same time as common from lfs (that couldn't identify). But if and when they do get larger then I will put them in my neighbors pond which is pretty big. I also have plans to buy a 180g when financies permit.

My ? was really about possible tank mates for convict in 29g and stocking of dwarfs cihclids for 55g.

Thank you for responding though. ;)
 
SF is pretty much there from my point of view, possibly a severum. Good blend on a 55 also, though I would like my personal favorites, apistogramma agassizii. Substrate will vary to what dwarfs you get and if you plan on going planted.

Maybe the convict has not shown aggression since he hasn't any tank mates to be aggressive with.
 
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The convict was in a community tank w/giant danios, tiger barbs, pleco and lg variety of tetras. He was in that tank for a long period of time w/out any problems...that is til the barbs decided to pick on him.

Even when the barbs picked on him, he just hid in the caves. When feeding time I had to fight the rest to make sure the convict actually ate. But he was happy, growing and even had the irridesent (sp?) bluish purple that well kept convicts get.

I will look up the severum profile. How big do they get?

I am also in the process of trying to figure out which dwarf cichlids best go together.

For those of you that have a sandy substrate, how do you vacuum w/out loosing all of it?

:dive2:
 
Sorry, must have missed the part about him being in a community tank originally. What size is it? It has been some time since I kept them; had 6-8 @ 1-1 1/2" in a 55.

They paired off, reduced to two pair with each pair in its own 29 long for raising the fry. Kept one pair after that in a 55 until they grew out to 5" then traded them off.

Have some sand substrate; I had to develop a light touch while pinching down on the drain tube and passing just over the sand surface. On the heavier grain styles, this isn't as much of a problem.
 
Thank you Rbishop for your help. He is aprox 31/2 inches. I thought about putting a female pink convict in w/him but I don't want an overpopulation of fry. I wouldn't know what to do w/them. The lfs would only take a few, and I don't have anyone w/freshwater tanks who will take them. I also don't like the idea of feeding them to other fish.

I just don't know what could be compatible...maybe giant danios that are fast swimming?
 
I'll ask around; keep an eye on the bottom of posts for who has convicts, or start another thread in general freshwater or the cichlid forum with "convict tankmates" as the thread. Check out our species profiles on them and possibly do a forum search on convicts might start you in a quicker direction.

Our boys used to get such a kick out of watching them spawn and raise their fry. Sorry to say, I didn't know they liked the caves, gave them sandy substrate only. They would build a deep dish/saucer shape, at the right spot in the current, to keep the fry from escaping. The boys would use our net to knock down the walls, watching the parents go catch them.

(okay kids, I'm not endorsing this behavior, but it is fun to watch! :dance: )
 
I will try your suggestions but I gotta ask what did you do w/all the fry afterwards?

P.S. I told my kids about yours and they want to try it now...LOL
told them to forget it. :rolleyes:
 
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