With their unique look and easy to care for requirements, Convict Cichlid are one of the most popular species amongst many freshwater aquarists.
Although you do not have to be an expert to look after convict cichlids, there are some important things you will need to know about them before purchasing any for your tank.
This ultimate guide is going to teach you everything about the species, including origin, behavior & temperament, tank requirements, breeding, plus much more.
Convict Cichlid Overview
Family: | Cichlidae |
Origin: | Central America |
Temperament: | Aggressive |
Size: | Up to 6 inches |
Tank Level: | Mid-dweller |
Minimum Tank Size: | 30 Gallons |
Diet: | Omnivore |
Care: | Intermediate |
Breeding: | Egg Layer |
pH: | 6.5 to 8.0 |
Hardness: | 9-20 dkH |
Temperature: | 68 to 77 F (20 to 25 C) |
Origin and Habitat
Convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) are native to Central America but can also be found in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
Their natural habitat is lakes and streams that has plenty or rocks and wood which they can use as a hideout.
Behavior & Temperament
The convict cichlid are know for being very territorial and aggressive who will chase off any fish who wonders into their territory.
Most of their time is spent inside of caves and amongst plants. It’s important to know this information to enable you to know how to setup your tank, and which tank mates to pair them with, which we will talk about later in this article.
Although they do spend time in the middle of the tank, they also like to be on the move and explore their surrounding, as well doing some digging amongst the substrate.
Lifespan of Convict Cichlid
The average lifespan of a convict cichlid is around 8 to 10 years, with many exceeding this age range. The best way to ensure they live a longer life is take proper care of them and provide a suitable environment.
Convict Cichlids Size & Appearance
Colors and Markings
The convict cichlid have multiple black vertical bars on top of a grey to silver body. Female cichlid’s may often have a slightly red or orange belly during breeding.
There is also an albino variation of this breed that is often referred to as white, pink, or gold convict cichlid.
How Big Do Convict Cichlids Get?
The average size of a convict cichlid is 4-5 inches. Some males can grow up to 6 inches, and females can grow to around 4.5 inches.
In comparison to other cichlid species, the convict variation is quite small, which is an advantage because you can keep them in smaller tanks.
How Do You Tell The Difference Between a Male and Female Convict Cichlid?
It’s pretty straight forward to tell the difference between a male and a female convict cichlid. Males generally have larger anal and dorsal fins as well as being longer and having a more prominent forehead.
You will have to wait until they are adults to be able to tell the difference, as it is hard to differentiate the difference between males and females when they are young.
Another way to tell the difference is that females develop a slight red or orange patch on their belly during spawning season. Females in general have brighter coloration with vivid strips and red/yellow spots.
Convict Cichlid Tank Requirements
As this species has a wide natural habitat, they are very hardy fish who can survive in many different conditions of water.
That being said, there are still some important things to know before setting up a convict tank. Let’s take a look at the tank requirements.
What Size Tank Do Convict Cichlids Need?
A 30 gallon tank is the minimum requirement for convicts. As they are so aggressive and territorial, a 40 gallon tank is better as the extra space will make them happier. The behavior of aggressive fish becomes worse in smaller tanks.
A 50 gallon tank is required if you plan on breeding convict cichlids.
Water Parameters
Convict cichlid’s come from the warm waters of South America, but can tolerate a wide range of water parameters as they are very hardy fish. This is what makes them great for beginners because they are very easy fish to care for.
That being said, there are still some ideal parameters to follow.
- Water temperature: 79°F to 84°F
- pH levels: 6.5 to 8
- Water hardness: 10 to 15 dH
What Do Convict Cichlids Like In Their Tank?
There are certain things that the tank will require in order to mimic a convicts natural environment. Let’s take a look:
- Substrate: Sandy substrate usually works best for convict cichlids. These fish like to do some digging, so they will end up getting scratched if you choose a coarse substrate.
- Plants: You should include a variety of different plants inside of the aquarium.
- Rocks and driftwood: The natural environment of a convict cichlid features a huge amount of rocks and driftwood. As they can be aggressive fish, this gives them plenty of places to hide.
- A strong filtration setup
Convict Cichlid Diet and Feeding
When it comes to food, cichlids can eat a wide variety of different things as they are natural omnivores and not fussy eaters who will eat both plant and meat matter.
That being said, the bulk of their diet should be high quality flake or pellet that is specifically for cichlids. In their naturally habitat they will eat mosquito larvae, plant debris, and small insects.
Live foods such as Daphnia, Black Worms, Brine Shrimp, and Blood Worms can also be fed to them in both fresh and frozen forms. As well as vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce, and carrots.
Instead of feeding as one large portion, it is always better to feed in smaller portions, around 2-3 times per day. Large portions of food can destabilize the water conditions by polluting the tank.
Will Convict cichlids eat other fish?
Convict cichlids are extremely aggressive fish who are known to take on virtually any other fish, even ones twice the size of themselves. They will eat pretty much anything they can fit into their mouths including smaller fish, crustaceans, insects and algae.
Common Problems and Diseases
Like many other species, convict cichlids are prone to common freshwater illnesses, but the good news is that there isn’t any diseases that are specific to this particular species.
Some of the common things include Ich, fin rot, and change in behavior are all possibilities. Keep an eye out and inspect them from time to time to check for anything unusual such as white spots on their body.
The best way to prevent common issues and diseases in the first place is to take good care of them and provide the perfect habitat inside of the tank, as well las a great diet.
What fish can you put with convict cichlids?
As convict cichlids are extremely aggressive and territorial, a lot of research and planning is required before considering potential tank mates.
This species are not well suited for a community tank, because they will attack any fish that enters their territory. Our recommendation is to keep cichlids in a tank of their own, especially if you are a beginner aquarist.
If you have a bit of experience under your belt, you can put them in with other fish, but they will need to be species that are the same size of larger than cichlids, as well as having the ability to stand their ground. Here are some examples:
- Jack Dempsey
- Pictus Catfish
- Green Terror
- Silver dollar fish
- Giant Danio
- Other South American Cichlids (Jewel and Firemouth)
Another good combo is a male and a female cichlid. The key thing to remember is that the more fish you add with a convict, the more potential problems you will have.
Convict Cichlid Breeding
When it comes to breeding, convict cichlids are extremely easy and they also make great parents. Here are some tips you can follow if you want to breed:
- Cichlids reach sexual maturity at around 7 months and will spawn all year round.
- A larger, 50 gallon tank is required for breeding.
- Rocks and caves are required inside of the aquarium to enable females to lay their eggs, as this is what they do in the wild.
- Water parameters can be kept the same as recommended above, other than the temperature of the water which should be raised to 84°F.
What happens next?
- Eggs will hatch after around 4 days that usually produces around 30 convicts.
- Food and shelter will be provided to the young by their parents.
- They will abandon their yolk sac and begin to swim after a further 5 days.
Conclusion
Remember that you do not have to be an expert to look after the convict cichlid, which is what makes them one of the most popular fish. Just remember that they can be extremely aggressive and territorial.
Match them with the correct tank mates or simply pair a male and a female convict together. Do you have this species in your tank? Let us know your experience in the comments section below.
