Convict Questions

[Genesis]

How long does it take a 0.2" Convict Cichlid to get to the full 6"?

Can Convicts be kept with malwi cichlids?

If not what would be the minimum US gallonage of the tank for just the cons?

If yes what would be the minimum US gallonage of the tank with the malwis?

how do you sex males and females?

thanks

 

[Genesis]

just read people keep them with angels

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gconvictm.html

 

[Genesis]

 

[valleyrich]

Still learning on the convicts but here is what I can offer. The females tend to turn a golden to orange color prior to breeding. They grow rather quickly. and from what I have heard 55 would be a minimum at full size. I don't know how much help I've been but now you can tell the boys from the girls.

 

[Genesis]

thanks

 

[ihansterx4i]

Yea like the other guy said, the females belly gets really orangeand you can tell the difference. Their belly also pops up. People say that the fins are longer on the males and the females fins are more rounded but with my convicts its kinda hard to tell by that.

Asfor the fry, they're growing at an ok pace so far. If you search convict breeding on yahoo, there is a guy who made like a journal on the breeding and growing of convicts and he writes down how much they grew and all that good stuff.

My question is does anyone know of any food to give the fry to make them grow faster? Ive been giving them brine shrimp and powdered flake food so far.I need some miracle grow for these fry. Ohh and ive been changing the water every other day. 10%

 

[Katchan]

Short of growth hormones there isnt really anything you can do, that you shouldnt already be doing, mainly frequent water changes and good range of quality foods.

Andrew

 

[Genesis]

anyone else awnser my questions?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

[quote name=''genesis' post='1036897' date='Jan 15 2006, 11:29 AM']
just read people keep them with angels

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gconvictm.html
[/quote]
if you want to spend an afternoon reading horror stories, just keep browsing aquahobby.com it's a pretty good reference for temperature, pH and max. size, but the "anecdotes" are horrifying and TERRIBLE advice.

read:
"I started with two small Convicts (3-4 cm) in a 40 liter tank with a pair of True Red Zebras (5 cm) and the male Convict was lucky to survive. I had to borrow two more (5-8 cm) from a friend as reinforcements for him. It did not help much, the Zebras still hunt him. If the Convicts stay in a group they can keep the Zebras at bay and the Zebras never mess with the biggest (8 cm) Convict. The Convicts may be bad fish but at least this time they have more than met their match with these Zebras."

FYI, 40 liters is 10.5 gallons.

 

[Genesis]

lol, i noticed about the bad advice

 

[freddyk]

How long does it take a 0.2" Convict Cichlid to get to the full 6"?

Can Convicts be kept with malwi cichlids?

If not what would be the minimum US gallonage of the tank for just the cons?

If yes what would be the minimum US gallonage of the tank with the malwis?

how do you sex males and females?

It takes a Convict its entire life to reach the full 6" - fish keep growing all their lives. Once they reach about 4" after a couple of years growth slows down to a crawl and they keep on growing.

No, dismissing the water and dietary differences, the behavior of Malawi's and Convicts are entirely different and in effect they speak different languages. Unless it's a huge tank it's a bad idea, and even then it seems wiers since they come from such incredibly different biotopes.

25 Gallons is the min for a pair of Cons

I wouldn't recommend the mix in any size tank with malawis, but at least 125 if you really insist on trying it for some reason.

 

[Genesis]

thanks freddyk

just what i was looking for

 

[mpd]

I have a pair on convicts in a 15G tank and they are doin fine

 

[pica_nuttalli]

I have a pair on convicts in a 15G tank and they are doin fine

for now. talk to us again in 6 months.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I have a pair on convicts in a 15G tank and they are doin fine

for now. talk to us again in 6 months.

No kidding.

I've had a pair of Male convicts in my tank for 1.5 years. My tank is significantly bigger however. I have a 40 gallon with plenty of plants so each fish has it's own "turf" and doesn't really bother the other. I have other fish in the tank as well and they convicts pay zero attention to them at all.

I'm curious to see who would happen if i introduced a female but i don't want to disturb the peace. Aside from some occasional displaying towards each other, they leave each other alone. They don't even dig into the gravel and mess up my plants! I've had them both since they were born in the tank, so they grew up together.

They are both 1.5 years old and 1 make is large around 3.5" and the other had a late start but is putting on the weight now so to speak at 2.5". Both have great coloration and long trailing fins.

I originally was looking to give them away, but since they have grown and developed so much i choose to keep them as the centerpeices. I may give the smaller of the two away at some point and see if i can get the male to grow to a large (5"+) size.