# What tankmates are ok with a Convict?



## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

*tank mates for Convicts*

I was wondering what fish I could put with a Convict and what size


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

what size tank is the biggest question you should answer before i can answer your question.


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

20 gallon as i have stated bf in my post


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

convict alone...


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

yeah besides the BN plec you have, you shoul just aquascape it and leave him alone, its still a small tank and convicts are mid-sized, agressive cichlids.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Why buy just one convict and then wonder what to get afterwards? What a waste of time. You best plan your tank before setting it up.


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

i was only wondering cause he is an old convict and i was going to probaly the key word is probaly going to get a breeding pair when he dies


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Phantom_Cichlid said:


> i was only wondering cause he is an old convict and i was going to probaly the key word is probaly going to get a breeding pair when he dies


I've got 1 convict which is 16 years old, and a wolf cichlid that I've estimated being about 18 years old. Cichlids live longer than dogs you know. (Unless you abuse them, which most fish havers do.)


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

wow that a while mine is only about 4 or 5 years


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

4 or 5? That guy is in his prime! Thats like the human equivelant of 30. Average convict lifespan, If kept well, is around 10 years, and like Cichlid Man said, he has one thats as old as you! Dont count on him dying of old age anytime soon. Get him a girlfriend and theres your breeding pair.


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

im 17 as of today but wow thats old


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## Anieves89 (Sep 6, 2006)

Cichlid man, if you dont mind me asking, about ur 16 YEAR old convict, thats pretty good, whats your secret? what type is it the normal wild type or the pink variety, i got a pink one myself, female, shes about a year and a half old


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Forget about "wild type", this convict is actually wild and about 6 inches long. I would like to pair him with a female for jumbo babies, but this one is really aggressive and I've never managed to find a mate big enough for him.lol


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

see thats my problem i just cant find one big enough for him but when i do im going to try to breed thewm atleast 2 times. oh yea and CM has your con ever bit u and drew blood


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## Mr Aquarium (Jan 18, 2005)

LMAO, try to breed them two times? sorry not meaning to laugh,
You do know these fish will lay eggs while the fry are still very very tiny right?
be carefull leaving the parents together after the fry are swimming, ive seen maes chase the females so bad, she ended up dried up on the floor.

Just an added note, It's not a waste of time to buy a fish then wonder what to put with it, if you like the fish and have the tank go for it, go for it,
Isn't any different them someone having a HUGE tank and having one arrow in it.


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

hey cichlid man got any pics of your con i would really like to see


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Sure, his fins are a bit tatty, but that's what happens when you get old:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Is that an egg crate divider in the pic? Phatom, thats what you need to do to breed a big SA cichlid. Divide the tank and put a hole in the divider just big enough for the female. Its still risky, but it gives her a chance to get away.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Yep, if ever the male get's too rough (which most are) you can at least be sure of a gettaway for the female.


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

I always make a rock cave that only the female can get into, looks a lot nicer that egg crate and works as long as there is a size difference between the pair.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Gump said:


> I always make a rock cave that only the female can get into, looks a lot nicer that egg crate and works as long as there is a size difference between the pair.


That's an even better idea actually. But if the female lays the eggs in the cave, you're busted.lol


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## Phantom_Cichlid (Jul 3, 2006)

OMG thats huge well i might be moving mine to a 30 gallon


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## Gump (Aug 2, 2006)

Cichlid Man said:


> That's an even better idea actually. But if the female lays the eggs in the cave, you're busted.lol


If you keep the item they usally breed on on the other side of the tank or dont remove the breeding item they will still use it after the fighting it over. Ive used this method with numerous pairs. And in some cases the eggs could still be fertlized through a hole if the male is aware, ive seen the male fert from quite a distance before.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

and you'd better make it a strong enough cave so the male can't topple it and hurt the female if he wants to have spawns and shes not ready.


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