Convicts but what else?

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Piranha_Tim

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 20, 2008
62
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Canada
Hi,

I have a 50G tank currently with 4 Convicts (3 females, 1 male), 7 Tiger Barbs

Originally the 2 other females not paired where getting attacked (as expected) So I have put the Tiger Barbs in as they are know for there speed and this has heavily reduced the attacks.

Leaving all fish in the tank in excellent condition physically and color wise.

I wanted to add a Pleco. (possibly haven't done much research)

But are there any other cichlids I could add to this tank?
Or
Any other fish that would be ok? cichlids preferred.

There is plenty of hiding spots in forms of rocks (stacked to make breeding areas) and plants (which are made use of a lot for sleeping and hiding when small)
 
breeding pair of cichlids (convicts in this case) usually means no tankmates. The tiger barbs you have work well as dithers (fish for your cichlids to pick on) but you probably won't have much more room for any other cichlids. If you got rid of your convicts that weren't paired off you could get some nice cryptoheroes species but you'll still have to pay close attention to the breeding convicts.

What other kind of fish were you looking to put with them? You could go with some hardy catfish like a raphael cat if you wanted some tankmates. Look into the different cyrptoheroes species though. Cutteri, spirulus, sajica, nanoluteus, and honduran red points would all make decent tankmates if you got rid of 2 of your convicts.
 
if you're not breeding the cons, I'd look into some other small species like the previous post suggests, and I'd include rainbow cichlids as an option considering their small size
 
Thanks everyone for replying.
Sounds like good news so far on getting another cichlid.

Only thing that confuses me is that the recommendation involves me getting ride of the other two 'passive' females.

I would of thought it would be the pair that would be the problem.
 
it could be, but a pair will also harrass the female that is left out, a.k.a. the third wheel
 
Well what I mean is ... People are recommending I remove the paired female and male.

Which is interesting because they are the aggressors defending there territory.

When the other 2 females aka third and forth wheel and passive.

(I would love to keep them all if possible)

Right now pairing doesn't last long because the babies get eaten.

Which I am semi cool with because I have no idea what I would do with 300 convicts HA HA

(I did try to give them away)
 
Being that I own Piranha that was the original plan ... But I am feeding them to other fish (just not directly) I currently only have 2 active tanks and my last spare tank I would rather keep something else.
 
Just get rid of the male... problem solved as far as the extreme agression goes. If you want to add a pleco to the mix, find something like a bristle nose plec that won't exceed 6" in length.
 
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