Black Convict Question

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J

Jkessler623

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 27, 2010
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Ohio
Ive got a 30g setup.in the tank right now is a bamboo shrimp,1" pleco, and 4 zebra danios. i found two black convict cichlids today that im going to get.they are juveniles, about an inch and a half to two inches long. i was told they would probably eat my danios which im not too worried about..but what about the pleco? i like him alot and id hate to see him get picked on.heres a pic of them but its kinda ****ty..had to use my phone.they are still at the store and i put them on hold.
0129002043-1.jpg
 
Proabaly, later on they'd be more than fine, but a pleco that small is just asking to get picked on. if he's got rocks he can get in between that the cons can't he may be ok though.
Rav
 
well like i said the convicts are juvies..they were in a tank with some other fish and they seemed actually quite calm.i just figured if they all grew up together they might be fine.i just want my plec to be safe :(
 
i THINK IT ALL WILL BE FINE i DONT SEE THE PROBLEM CAUSE I HAVE 4 CONVICTS IN MY 29 GALLON AND THEY ARE VERY LAID BACK AND EASY GOING SO DONT WORRY
 
idk.EVERYTHING ive read online says they are aggresive as sin lol. but idk like i said they looked laid back.just wanted to hide and whatnot. and they are pretty small.
 
The only problem I could see is if they pair up. A mating pair of cons can be vicious and extremely territorial. I've read that they need about 20g so a 30 could be pushing it. But the pleco is armored so....
Tell us what happens
 
I would say it will be ok. Even paired up my full grown cons NEVER go to the other side of the tank when they have eggs laid. They never want to get too far away. My plec learned to stay away very quickly. Keep in mind that if you have a pleco with them there is only a rare chance of the eggs making it through the night so breeding is USUALLY out of the question. Also, one thing I've learned is to never turn off the aquarium lights if another light is on in the room if they have laid eggs. Otherwise the pleco will think it has the cover of night but the cons can still see it and thus attack it for getting too close.
 
I wouldnt do it.. I have had cons breed in a 125 with a common pleco and other fish. In that situation the pleco was fine, but the cons had plenty of room to raise the fry... In a 20-30 gallon tank I dont think it would be the same. I have also bred cons in a 20 gallon and there is just not enough room for other fish to live in peace. You say you have other fish too along with the pleco. They will be dead if the cons start to breed. Bottom line is, in a tank <30 gallons if the cons start breeding they will kill everything else eventually.

However, if you wanted to avoid the whole breeding issue get a couple female cons. They are prettier then the males, stay smaller, and they obviously wont breed.
 
I agree that 20g is too small for a breeding pair of cons. I think going from a 20-29 is quite a big jump though. And if you keep the danios in there the cons would probably pick on those first and you said you didnt care about them. I also think you should add them right before turning off the lights for the night. And obviously you would want lots of hiding places.
 
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