Convict Cichlids

J

josh.dyck

Feeder Fish
Jul 2, 2014
4
0
1
Washington
Hello everyone, this is my first post and I am very excited to have joined the MFK community. My primary interest is in native species but i wanted to start breeding feeder fish before getting my larger tanks setup with monsters. After the research ive done I have concluded convict cichlids are what I want to breed. Specifically, 3 pairs each in a separate 10g and then a larger raiseup pen for all the babies. (I have a 30 gallon tank which should fit the bill).

I know they reccomend larger for the convict pairs but after everything I have seen, I am morally comfortable with the 10g tanks with lots of places to hide.

*My biggest question to all you smart folks is this:

My local fish stores do not cary convicts very often and when they do they tend to have limited stock. Right now there are 2 pinks and 2 black/blue cons for sale. each about 1.5-2 inches. One of the pinks started building a nest. Should i just go ahead and buy all of them and hope to have two pairs or should i base my decision and buy just the pink who is building the nest and then the other pink because they have the highest chance of at least being female?

*My secondary question is this: Are there any reputable breeders out there right now who could sell me 3 sexed/proven pairs that would probably be better quality animals than the pet stores?

Thank you in advance!
 
J

jonclark96

Polypterus
MFK Member
Mar 8, 2009
1,246
232
96
Frederick MD
You will eventually end up with 3 males in your 10 gallon tanks. I've kept a lot of amatitlania/cryptoheros species over the years, and unless you planning on permanently dividing them and trying to breed them through the divider, a 10 is simply not enough space for an adult pair. That being said, cons at 2" should be pretty easy to determine gender. If you are only breeding them for feeders, just use the fish you can get locally. If you want cons with known provenance, Jeff Rapps at Tangled Up In Cichlids currently has 3 or 4 wild caught types in stock.
 
gamerpond1

gamerpond1

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 3, 2012
879
4
18
Texas
Oh you'll have a pair buying a male and a female if not already paired before their quite the little horn dogs which is probly the main reason your lfs doesn't carry them if your planning on breeding to sell the odds of them getting bought from you are very slim if you want a convict to breed to sell my advice to you is to get a convict type of cichlid other than nigros cause their not hard to get and a dime a dozen shop around and get something you would really want for example sajica, siquia, spinosissimus, nanoluetus, or HRP and theres many more and find a 40 gallon breeder and/or a 20 gallon breeder to go with your 10 gallon they will harass eachother just as much as will other cichlids even in a hundred gallon doesn't matter what size the mouth is on the fish their going after they got spunk

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J

josh.dyck

Feeder Fish
Jul 2, 2014
4
0
1
Washington
I guess I always felt that the convicts I saw were happy in their smaller tanks. Maybe none of them are full grown or they are just smaller variation of cons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpRN0XovU1w

This guy said he was breeding his in 10gallons and the fish sure looked happy. (might be a 20gallon just by eyeballing it)
Also, i dont know any of his credentials. Just doing research!
 
Rivers2k

Rivers2k

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 27, 2011
1,528
46
51
NY
josh.dyck said:
I guess I always felt that the convicts I saw were happy in their smaller tanks. Maybe none of them are full grown or they are just smaller variation of cons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpRN0XovU1w

This guy said he was breeding his in 10gallons and the fish sure looked happy. (might be a 20gallon just by eyeballing it)
Also, i dont know any of his credentials. Just doing research!
Click to expand...
Those fish aren't even close to full grown that is why they seem ok. They will get 3x the size as in the video. 20 long is the absolute minimum or you will wind up with one of them dead.

That being said you have a 30 gallon. Buy a pair put it in the 30 and put the fry in the 10 gallon until you use them as feeders. You don't need multiple pairs as they will spawn every month if you remove the fry.

You can also get another pair out of the fry just wait until you can identify a male and female and put them in another tank. Look for one with an orange belly and one with no orange. Good chance but not guaranteed they will be male and female.
 
convict360

convict360

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Dec 9, 2013
4,499
1,874
164
Scotland
fishfanatic46 said:
I think ten gallon isn't nearly enough room I have a bull male that is 6"+ and he would shred a female in a tank that small let alone be miserable with no room to "strut" his stuff


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Click to expand...
Don't mean to derail thread, but pics of bull male con would be cool. I also wouldn't advise the 10g, I'd put them in the 30, you'll get a tonne of babies

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gamerpond1

gamerpond1

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 3, 2012
879
4
18
Texas
convict360 said:
Don't mean to derail thread, but pics of bull male con would be cool. I also wouldn't advise the 10g, I'd put them in the 30, you'll get a tonne of babies

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Click to expand...
A ton is a understatement better plan on getting some one lined up with bigger fish that can use feeders

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J

josh.dyck

Feeder Fish
Jul 2, 2014
4
0
1
Washington
Well, Here is my newest plan then. 1 pair in the 30g and the 10gallon tanks will be the raiseout pens. Ive got a 30gallon tall floating around somewhere too which a big male convict should have lots of space to strut his stuff in. Sounds like a fun project!
 
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