Convict Tank

[wrestlingfreak7]

I've decided to turn my 20gal community tank into a convict cichlid tank. I know I can only keep a pair in there but thats ok. I'm not sure how to set it up. I have about 3 caves a bunch of fake plants and some gravel as substrate. Anything else?

My equipment is as follows

whisper 20i filter

bubble wall

heater(i don't know what brand i need a new one).

Do I need a powerhead for more flow? Also, I've heard of people keeping plecos in the tank w/ their convicts mine is about 6 inches long. Should I re-home him??

Thanks,



wrestlingfreak

 

[FishGeek]

Tank sounds fine but yes rehome your Pleco. Hes getting too big for that tank. As far as a heater its a matter of opinion, I use the all glass ones normally.

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

I just picked up a pair and they are approx. 1 inch. How do I tell females from males?? the lady at LFS didn't know so she said I could return them if need be.

 

[william]

how are they doing i was thinking about doing the same thing?
Are they fin nipping or being aggresive?

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

umm... they fought for a little bit when i first put them in but their doing fine. If you have other fish (other that cichlids) I would get rid of them because the convicts will probably kill them.

 

[william]

yea i do have some but i dont really want to kill them and i was wondering if they would get along because my firend has a firemouth and a convict and he said that they are doing fine
He got his at a pretty good price for 3.50 at petsmart

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

I got both mine for a dollar @ my LFS. See if your LFS will take/trade in your other fish.

 

[william]

yea off course they said that they will find them a home but i bet that i will go back and see them for sale for like 5.00 each my lfs isnt that great the prices are pretty expensive.

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

hmm...
does anyone know how to sex convicts??

 

[Pure]

Sex can be determined by a bump on the head of the mature male. Males are also larger and have longer fins. Females have orange scales on their front underside.

 

[Bl33dy]

my pair of convicts pulled up all the fake plants. they also wiped out my tank, except for the albino choco plecos. of course theres a little fin nipping here and there, but nothin severe. most of the fin nipping is the fry nipping the parents fins. you can possibly keep other cichlids in with your convict, but my pair had no tolerance for any other peaceful fish.

 

[TAL]

hmm...
does anyone know how to sex convicts??

Ooo.... that question just makes me wanna start cracking a few jokes...

But I will refrain.

 

[Pure]

Still not as dirty as snail porn

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

so they are both males, one seems more dominate will this cause problems??

 

[Big Vine]

so they are both males, one seems more dominate will this cause problems??

In a 20 gal. tank, yes...trouble is on the horizon...

My recommendation would be to rehome one of them and replace with 1-3 females.
Once he has paired-up with one of them, simply rehome the rest. Giving him more of a selection to begin with (instead of adding just one female) may result in a stronger pair-bond (which ideally translates into less domestic violence; particularly at spawning time, which is basically all the time).
BV

 

[wrestlingfreak7]

ok, i'll rehome one and get a female.

 

[mistercoffee]

hmm...
does anyone know how to sex convicts??

That's a discussion for a whole other forum *laughingc