Single Male Convict - Aggression In Community ?

[hamfist]

Haven't kept cons for over 20 years so looking for a little advice.

I'm looking for a 4"-5" very confident centrepiece cichlid to live in a 75G with an angelfish, rainbowfish, swordtails and yoyo loaches.
It will be king of the tank.

I love the way large cons look, move and behave. But ...... what are the chances of it tolerating the other community members ? Is most con aggression during breeding or to conspecifics, or just to other cichlids ? Am I going to be safe with a large singleton male con, who is undisputed king of the tank ?

I know cons are very popular so I'm sure a few of you have experience of situations like this.

Not looking for suggestions of other species BTW.

 

[walkers101]

I have had a single con in with angels and bolivian rams and it wiped them out overnight

not nice finding half an angel on the substrate

 

[hamfist]

I have had a single con in with angels and bolivian rams and it wiped them out overnight

not nice finding half an angel on the substrate

Hmmmm, sounds like that idea is probably out then.

Thanks !


At the moment I have a male Aquiedens metae in there. He's a stunner but rather cautious at the moment. I'll persevere with him and hope that his confidence builds.

This particular tank, and it's position/lighting etc don't seem to encourage fish to be bold in it though. So many normally confident fish, become very withdrawn when I put them in it. Bold, aggressive CA's seem to do well in it, but the SA's (apart from angels) don't seem to adapt well to it.

 

[walkers101]

to be honest tho mate the angels were quite small

 

[minnnt]

Hrp male instead.

My ellioti is well behaved with angels and community fish, maybe worth considering.

 

[angelfishguy]

I have 2 female cons that keep to themselves in the tank, no trouble at all, in another tank i have a pair and they cause havoc when breeding

 

[hamfist]

I have 2 female cons that keep to themselves in the tank, no trouble at all, in another tank i have a pair and they cause havoc when breeding

That's interesting. And, yes, I would expect the females to be rather more placid.

I love the orange tummies of the females. It's a pity they don't get a bit bigger. Although definately still a possibility.

 

[michaelh]

Hrp male instead.

My ellioti is well behaved with angels and community fish, maybe worth considering.

I would love some HRP's...
Well 12-16 hours and i will D.
As far as im aware arnt most females more placid than their male counterpart (excluding breeding time)?

 

[minnnt]

Generally speaking... Yes... But it does depend on each fish's individual temperament.

Breeding behaviours don't really count as any breeding cichlid is usually a totally different kettle of fish (excuse the pun) compared with a singleton.

I would say either a Honduran Red Point, Sajica, Jade Eyed, Myrnae or any other variety of Cryptoheros would be a safer option?!

 

[talisker]

i wouldn't rule a con out, i've kept them for years and i've got a single male now in a community tank who was an absolute terror when i had him with a female, but he is fine now, he hates a jewel cichild i have in there but doesn't bother any of the other fish, he just chases the jewel whenever he spots it but there is never any damage done, but it does always depend on the fish

 

[SBL]

I second recommend or third recommend the Male HRP, very nice fish. Males are mild alone, and are no where near as aggressive as Convicts, still can be nasty but not like Cons in anyway. They are true beast fish, even through all the massive in-breeding in them. Imagine a bull Con 'bout 7 inches straight from the wild...Kinda scary thought.