Hiya mate, nice to see you too. Don't see you much on this forum any longer.
They're great, but they do dig as with most cichlids. They haven't ate any plants, but there is usually some Dwarf Sag floating that has been moved, especially now the fry are free swimming. A more robust planted tank would be fine, but if considering them with finer leaved, shallow rooted plants then probably best to rethink your stock of fish or plants. Pretty sure they would ruin a carpet of any description.
Convicts have been part of this family, but are now classified under Amatitlania nigrofasciata.
But yeah, i still consider them as a Convict relative.
Cryptoheros nanoluteus are nice, i believe Ross at Oddball Express can source these for you if you struggle. He may even have them in stock. Their intense colour would stand out very nicely indeed within a planted environment. For me though, Cryptoheros panamensis are also on my wish list. As are Sajica's too.
I've had Jade Eyeds before, Archocentrus/Cichlasoma/Cryptoheros Spilurum (see what i mean about re-classification?!) which were lovely and also Honduran Red Points, again, Amatitlania siquia/Archocentrus sp. Honduran Red Point/
Cryptoheros sp. Honduran Red Point. Of all the ones i have owned the HRP's were by far the best coloured fish, but the male was really aggressive towards the female which would often lead to her being wedged up by the filter/heater. The Jade Eyeds were very similar to the Cutteri, but the Cutteri show far more colour. Both males treated their lady wives very well and showed no aggression what so ever.
I once saw a group of Mynae 'Topaz' for sale on ebay and passed them up, wish i had gone for them now, Cryptoheros (or whatever they maybe called today!) are an excellent group of fish that everyone should have experience of owning at some point in their fish keeping lives.
My water is pretty much perfect for most Central American cichlids. Roughly around 7.6 in that tank and is pretty hard too. Nitates are usually constant at 20ppm.
HRP's:
Jade Eyed's:
Bored yet?