Convict Species Tank...

[cichlid_stu]

Were it me, I might consider one blue acara,one severum,one firemouth,and one convict for your tank.Can't GIVE convicts or their fry away in my neck of the woods.
I kept a group of them some years ago, and they literally plucked the eye's from a common Pleco that was considerably larger than the convict's who were gaurding fry at the time.

I have kept convicts for a while.

They have taken chunks out of everything that i have put in with them, so was looking down the species only set up.

I have kept them with oscars, severum, JD and with complete aggression from the convicts towards others,this is why I am looking at giving them a tank to themselves, if they breed and it gets too much, it's free food for my other tank.

 

[roadmaster]

Were it me, I might consider one blue acara,one severum,one firemouth,and one convict for your tank.Can't GIVE convicts or their fry away in my neck of the woods.
I kept a group of them some years ago, and they literally plucked the eye's from a common Pleco that was considerably larger than the convict's who were gaurding fry at the time.

I have kept convicts for a while.

They have taken chunks out of everything that i have put in with them, so was looking down the species only set up.

I have kept them with oscars, severum, JD and with complete aggression from the convicts towards others,this is why I am looking at giving them a tank to themselves, if they breed and it gets too much, it's free food for my other tank.

To each their own,was merely a suggestion. Have kept cichlids for a long ,long , time and presonally find the convicts to be more trouble than they are worth.
Many more interesting cichlids out there, some of which can fetch a fair price for healthy fry, which helps me purchase food's,and other supplies.
Offering feeder fish to larger fish can sometimes result in larger fish refusing much more nutritional foods available and few expierienced fish keeper's practice this any more save those who derive some perverse pleasure from doing so.
In any event,you would need a large number of larger fish to keep up with fry produced by more than one pair of breeding convicts who can reproduce at an alarming rate.

 

[char la]

If your going to breed convicts please try to breed pure breds. For the past few years every convict ive come across has been a cross with either a sajica or a HRP. As nice as they do look, they are completly washing out true convict species. All of the convicts we have in our store are crosses. You could possibly demand a higher price for pure strains as there are few about

 

[cichlid_stu]

If your going to breed convicts please try to breed pure breds. For the past few years every convict ive come across has been a cross with either a sajica or a HRP. As nice as they do look, they are completly washing out true convict species. All of the convicts we have in our store are crosses. You could possibly demand a higher price for pure strains as there are few about

How can you differentiate?

 

[char la]

You want them very silver with as black as possible pure stripes, not a silvery green background with the stripes turning slightly into a patch on the side of the body, (HRP). Males have no colour in the fins, many are seen withred fins (sajica). Females will still have the gold to orange patch on the belly and do have irridesent colouring to the fins. About 5 years ago i used to have a beautiful pair of calico convicts, half gold, half normal. I havent seen those since or the gold. Shame. Many HRP are all crosses now because of the same situation, thankfully though we have a local breeder who breeds pure HRP that DONT have stripes!

 

[minnnt]

Odd ball express have the yellows.

 

[cichlid_stu]

Odd ball express have the yellows.

I was just having a look on the website, I got a pair of the albino type coming tomorrow along with another set of standard convicts.

You want them very silver with as black as possible pure stripes, not a silvery green background with the stripes turning slightly into a patch on the side of the body, (HRP). Males have no colour in the fins, many are seen withred fins (sajica). Females will still have the gold to orange patch on the belly and do have irridesent colouring to the fins. About 5 years ago i used to have a beautiful pair of calico convicts, half gold, half normal. I havent seen those since or the gold. Shame. Many HRP are all crosses now because of the same situation, thankfully though we have a local breeder who breeds pure HRP that DONT have stripes!

Thanks for the info, I new a couple of the things that you said, but not some of the others....In the case of having purebreds, in this case then i have 2 pairs already and another coming tomorrow.....Along with the albino colour form.....

 

[char la]

The gold and calico forms are beautiful, have fun breeding them, dont have to say good luck. As with convicts, 'just add water'!

 

[cichlid_stu]

The gold and calico forms are beautiful, have fun breeding them, dont have to say good luck. As with convicts, 'just add water'!

I have just ordered a pair of calico convicts, a pair of honduran red points and a pair of jade eyed cichlids, all for less than £20....

Along with all the fry that I already have from my breeding pair.....So maybe another 16 to go in when they are large enough.

I'm hoping that maybe by me overstocking on them, it'll help with any aggression, just like the african cichlids...

 

[minnnt]

How big is the tank Stu? My hrp's are lovely, one (two) of my favourite fish. Jade eyes may look a little boring, but they're proper little characters. I have enjoyed watching them grow to what they are now. Although it would appear I may have two males as none are demonstrating the normal dorsal fin spot.

 

[cichlid_stu]

How big is the tank Stu? My hrp's are lovely, one (two) of my favourite fish. Jade eyes may look a little boring, but they're proper little characters. I have enjoyed watching them grow to what they are now. Although it would appear I may have two males as none are demonstrating the normal dorsal fin spot.

It's a 4 x 2 x 2.

With rocks and artificial plants.......With plenty of sightbreakers.....

I love the look of the Jade Eyed Cichlids, but my partner doesn't. But then again, it's not her tank lol.

I can't wait to see them all mixed in! Should be a nice sight!

 

[cichlid_stu]

The gold and calico forms are beautiful, have fun breeding them, dont have to say good luck. As with convicts, 'just add water'!

So on the pure strain of convict theme.

My largest male is slightly green background, with dark black stripes and dorsal and anal fins? Is this a convict?