# Convict/Firemouth



## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

Hey guys, I'm back. Yeah, i know you're pretty confused right now seeing that this is my first post. lol. Well i don't expect anyone to remember me anyway, but last spring and before i used to post quite a bit, especially in this section. Since then I've been busy, busy enough to abandon this for about half a year and also long enough to forget my username...anyway.... heres my story:

Last October ('04) I bought a pair of Covicts for my 29 gallon tank. At the time i also had three Rosy barbs left over in the tank, after having them dominate a tank of livebearers. The Convicts were about 1" to 1.5" long, and got along ok. After the first couple of weeks they were laying eggs, but in making their nest they had dug so deep that when the babies hatched they slipped right down through the undergravel, never to be seen again. After that first-timers-mistake they never seemed to get along, which lead to the eventual killing off of the male, after all the rosy barbs were picked of by the female. i know this is weird, because usually if anything the female is the submissive one. I tried adding a firemouth, and they were fine until just recently. They are both about 3" long, but the female decided she needed the WHOLE tank, including all the corners and behind the filter. I have 2 other tanks, but they were full of community fish, so i got a divider and partitioned the tank. The firemouth seems to be pretty docile, and he is very colorful. The female, on the other hand is vewry agressive. It seems like a simple solution...just give her away right? The problem i have with that is that she is by far the most beautiful convict i have ever seen. She is absolutely thriving in my tank, and the brightness of her color is amazing. her dorsal and anal(?) fin stream back to a good 1/2 inch past her tail, and she is always out swimming on hew half.
I really dont like the divider as a permenant option, so it has come down to choosing one over the other. I have heard of people keeping other fish with firemouths such as a couple swordtails to provide them with some snacks every couple months, and the firemouth could grow a bit larger to fill up the tank a bit more than the convict....if i keep the convict i am certain that she would kill anything else and will only grow to about 4 inches, leaving me with one fish in the tank... I could also look for a larger male convict..like 5 or 6 inches and try to make a mating pair....If anyone is interested in buying the convict i guess that would also be an option. I really like the idea of the firemouth with some swordtails, so if anyone has objections to that or suggestions on how many swords could fit feel free..
If anyone has any other ideas such as fish i could try with the convict or other setups they would be greatly appreciated. i know i am fairly limited as far as space goes, so its kind of a tough one..
Thanks,
Matt


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Try getting her a male much bigger than her. That'll deffinatly work. Convicts aren't fussy when it comes to partners, but you have to indroduce them to each other in the right way to prevent fighting. I.E when they are both ready to breed.


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## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

I have read that when females are ready to breed they get the orange on their bellies and their gray stripes darken in color...she has looked pretty dark like this for over a year...does that just mean she's been ready to breed the whole time?
an also how big do you think the male should be?


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Matt, consider getting yourself another male as CM has suggested. Put the male on one side of the divider, female on the other. They will spawn THROUGH the divider ( assuming it is something porous) like eggcrate. Let them spawn like that 2-3 times and then maybe you could remove the divider and everyone would live happily ever after.


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## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

So then once they pair up they wont fight anymore? It would be so nice to have a peaceful tank lol. When i used to have the rosy barbs with her now deceased mate they never fought, just took out their small ammounts of agression on the barbs...should i try that too? or would they just end up dead? again...how big do you think the male should be 4..5..6inches? she is almost 3 i think.


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## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

and were you suggesting keeping the firemouth in there or is he gone? i have an empty 20 gallon sitting around too..could the convicts live happily in there? just wondering..thanks


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Once the pair bond is established, chances are, they will be OK together. Never a guarantee tho. As with any cichlid, pair bonds are fragile. Anything could set them off. Sometimes a "target" fish like the firemouth, or even another convict helps strengthen the bond because the pair has to work together to defeat the common foe. It usually results in the death of the target tho. 
If you are looking for a peaceful aquarium, cichlids are not the best choice. They sure are fun tho..... Good luck.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Oh, sorry Matt. I would leave the convicts in the larger tank. The more room they have the less chance for fighting. 
Pick a male about the same size, or maybe a little larger.
The barbs, or anything else you put in the tank will probably be killed, but it would help the convicts pair bond.


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## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

so i might just get some cheap zebas or something once i get the male, and move the firemouth to the 20, or maybe the new 55 depending on what i decide for that. By the time they pick off all the zebras they shold have a pretty strong bond. lol. and if not i can always buy more..i think theyre like 30 cents at the lfs anyway. If i dont have to have them all the time i can at least buy some every time they start fighting.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Sounds like a plan....but I would still use the divider. If you put them in the 55, consider getting 3-4 more convicts and let them choose partners. Put lots of hiding places. You could, pretty much, guarantee a breeding pair doing that, and you won't need the divider.


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## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

you meant just use the divider until they try to mate a couple times, right? it is one of those plastis kinda ones you can buy at the store...i was planning on keeping it for then, and then when i remove it i would add the zebras to help the transition..im really not planning on filling the 55 with them, but some of their offspring might end up in there anyway if i cant get rid of them all.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Yes. You have the idea. Any divider will do as long as it has holes in it.


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