Convicts

K

karen99

AC Members
Nov 21, 2005
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I have a 38 gallon tank housing just a bunch of tiger barbs and serpae tetras; for awhile I've been thinking of selling them off and trying just one or two larger, more personable fish.
I was looking at the fish - a huge store with tons of unusual and exotic fish - but the ones I kept coming back to were the convicts... I had a pair of convicts as a kid and always thought of them as aggressive little grayish fish. I certainly didn't come in thinking I would get convicts. But these convicts were big adults in gorgeous condition... just beautiful fish. I think I have to get some...
I just have a few questions.
1) Is a 38 gallon tank suitable for 1 pair (and probably babies)?
2) Are there any other fish they can be kept with? I assume I'll probably have to sell all the barbs and tetras currently in the aquarium.
3) Is there a reliable way to tell males and females apart so I can get a pair?
Thanks.
 
I suppose I'd sell or give them to the fish store. Back when I had my earlier convict pair, 15 years ago, they actually paid us for the fry. I don't have the space to keep any of the fry once they are old enough to get aggressive.

Is it possible to keep all males or all females without them killing each other?
 
Cons are great but should be kept in a species tank,and if paired only that pair.2 caves should be provided think of one as the the joint home of the pair,and think of the other one as the couch that the guy is forced to sleep on after she lays her eggs she is very grouchy over her cave.Adult males exhibit a large "Nuchal hump" and are usually the larger of the two with more filament(thread like)fins.The female is usually smaller and is the one with more coloration especially during breeding.And you should have no problem keeping them in that size tank,just dont plant as they are active diggers.And will spend much of there day digging out their nest.
 
My wife keeps 2 female Con's in a 29g and they do fine with each other...of course they still go through the egg laying process but we dont have fry to deal with.
 
krytan said:
A lot of places won't take baby con's as they breed so easily.
Yes you can keep two of the same sex together.
Click to expand...

Sexing is fairly simple at small ages. The good easily sexed females will have a good amount of orange like the lower pic ;)

The males will be devoid for the most part of the orange belly ;) Will post another profile pic of the male here shortly.. so you can see the difference ;)

Click on either pic to make it larger ;)

My male


My female
 
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