I have never had guppies but i get platies and they breed the same way. Do guppies breed more and have fry faster and more of them or are they about the same? My platies have fry about once a month.
Your math is wrong. You forgot to factor in heat and food and waste removal. Proper equation for Convicts would be M + F + water + heat + FOOD -POOP= babies. Proper equation for the simplest fish is M + F + water + food - poop= babies. White Clouds fit this equation. Less food, less waste, no heat required.
It does sound to me that Kribs would be your best choice unless you just want to go the livebearer route. As mentioned, they are pretty peacefull for Cichlids and they dont get much over 3 inches long. When mine are breeding they will chase away fish that stray too near the nest, but I never see so much as a nipped fin result from it. They can get aggressive with other Kribs or even each other at times however.
You should have no problems keeping a breeding pair of them in a decent sized, say 3 foot long, community tank.
I was actually thinking along those lines.... if convicts breed so easily... and they produce larger batches of fry than guppies... why is there not a market for feeder convicts?
Sorry.. I know this is kind of a hijack but it's semi related and I did try and help the OP with info earlier
The thing about the kribs. isn't entirely true... I got mine well over 6 months ago and still haven't gotten them to breed. Still, you may have better luck with them then I have.
I was actually thinking along those lines.... if convicts breed so easily... and they produce larger batches of fry than guppies... why is there not a market for feeder convicts?
1) The offsping of guppies can start breeding soon after birth.
a) The convict cannot.
2) Feeder guppies are smaller.
a) Convicts are more rounder, so only bigger mouths can eat.
3) Adult guppies cannot fight, so they are still food.
a) A Cichlid is still a cichlid and will get defensive.
If I had chiclids I wouldn't have any other kinds of fish in the thank especially if I was breeding them. They require Large tanks too although mine bred in a ten gallon. lmao