# Convict + Community = Death ?



## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

Ok, so i have been wanting cichlids for awhile, and one of my favorites are convicts. I understand that as breeding pairs they can tear up any fish of any size kept with them. I currently have a 30gal Long with Danios, Tetras, and a BN pleco. Eventually i would hope to be adding some cories.
I want ONE convict from my friend who has a bazillion and is trying to give them away, but i am very fearful for my current fishies.
Am i just beating my head against a wall with my desire to have one?
I am expecting that i wont be able to get one but i was just seeing if anyone has had success with keeping a solitary convict in a community tank.
Thank you
:chair:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

> I understand that as breeding pairs they can tear up any fish of any size kept with them.


True

Haven't tried it. I think you would be fine for a few years. My understanding is they get meaner as they get older.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

Hmmm... well i would be getting a tiny litte fry... Do you think they would bond with the danios and tetras since they would be smaller?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Bond, no. Ignore, yes. Until he gets big enough to eat them or until he decides he wants all the food in the tank to himself. I'd guess 2-4 years, but fish have individual temperaments and I never had any big convicts myself. I suspect your shrimp would be in danger a bit sooner.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

hmmm i might want an apisto instead.... blarg. Oh well, thank you for the insight


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Most cichlids with nibble on shrimp if they get the chance. It might be enough to have lots of shrimp-size hiding places, but it might not.


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## fishi91 (Mar 21, 2008)

thank you for all your help


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## ThatFishKid (Aug 9, 2008)

Not sure if you still need help on the subject, but I have a 3 year old convict that has spent its life in a comunity tank, and at one point i had a male who died, but i still have one of the spawn (1 year old now). anyways, my point is, while I've never had zebra danios and don't know the size of yours, The convict should be fine. The only time theyre agressive is if they have a mate, or ANYTHING enters theyr domain. give a convict a nice lil' cave, the danios stay at the surface, convict at the bottom and everything's fine. the only problem is, convicts love to nibble or uproot live plants, and they se invertebrates as a tasty snack (regardles of the size). So yes, convicts do fine in a FISH comunity, as long as it's a single convict, or several females (with their own individual hideouts:fish


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