Convits and Oscars

[Oscar]

Could i put a pair of Convict the same size as my Oscar (4inch) in the same tank a 3oinch now, a 4ft later as well as a pleco. would they be alright??
Thanx

 

[semper fi]

they will probably live peaceably until the convicts start to breed. convicts are very good parents and will defend their fry against any predator. convict fry is a good source of live food though. sorry if that sounds cold. i have four breeding pairs in my south american tank that serve that purpose. once they start to breed though, they are like water bunnies. make sure that the convicts have a hiding spot. they like to lay their eggs in little caves and on flat surfaces.

hth

maggie

 

[macpegg]

I have 2 full grown oscars and 6 medium size oscars, and a pair of convicts, and they are fine... But i have loads of other fish in the tank bigger than the oscars, and they get on fine too.. The Convicts will only chase the other fish away, or nip them a bit, but they are excellent parents like maggie said.. i`m yet to see any babys, but then they`re are prob getting eaten, so i`m sujjesting that i seperate my convicts from the tank. Have them breed for a while get a few pairs..

And maybe sell em, or use them as live bait, which is cold but if it saves u money then i`m game..

 

[semper fi]

your fry could be getting eaten before you see them. they are very hard to see. if you see a pair of them off by themselves cleaning a spot diligently and guarding it that is their intended nesting spot. the females will get really red in the belly when they are gearing up to lay. when it looks like she is so fat that she may explode she is ready to lay. check out your decor in the tank or small caves dug in the gravel. i got three spots where i put a peice of slate over the gravel. they have dug out the gravel and made caves where the other fish cannot get to the eggs. the other pair breeds and lays in the root that i got in the tank. will have to find the pics i got of them from the day that she laid to when the fry were free swimming and post them.

maggie

 

[konroh]

i have 3 oscars (3" each, 1 red, tiger, and albino tiger), 2 convicts (one 1" one 1.5"), and a firemouth (2") in a 29 gallon right now, i have noticed the larger convict is starting to nip at and fight with my oscars, mostly with the red and tiger, actually leaving small injuries, ie a few missing scales...they are moving to a 4ft 45 gallon this week, so hopefully that will settle them down...

 

[semper fi]

still not a big enough tank for what you got. are the convicts breeding? is one of their belly red? that may be the cause of the nipping. the oscar may be invading their area and the convicts are defending it.

maggie

 

[konroh]

still not a big enough tank for what you got. are the convicts breeding? is one of their belly red? that may be the cause of the nipping. the oscar may be invading their area and the convicts are defending it.

maggie

one of the convicts has a red belly, but the other one seems to still be immature...the fighting is not very serious, only once in a while, if necessary the convict will stay in the 29 when the others move. The 45 is jsut tempory until the fish are too large, then they will get a 100+ gallon tank.