Gonna start w/convicts

[AlyKat]

Ok, I decided to do the convicts instead of guppies for Oscar, but I've never done these before. I want a breeding pair, so how many should I get to start? I'll have the 20G that the guppies are in now...well, after I give Oscar and Jack their final guppy snack

Anything in particular I should know? Anything out of the ordinary I should have in there for them or special conditions I need to know about?

 

[sweetpickles7]

I would use the 30gal instead if i could. That 20 will be cramped once your pair become adults. For the tank i would just add cover, like plants and maybe a few caves or something.

 

[AlyKat]

That's tough...I need the 30 for the goldfish from Nov thru May...even that tank is too small for them...and it doesn't even have a lid.

Maybe there's something smaller I should do instead of convicts?

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Eh 20gal should be fine, go for it. If thats what you really want.

They are sexable at very young ages, you might get lucky and can pull a male and female out of the bunch and only have to buy 2.

 

[MatthewLaw]

regarding breeding, i read that you should provide a clay (not plastic!) pot with the bottom knocked out. the eggs will be layed/fertilized in there.

i also read the convict cichlids get VERY aggresive towards all other fish if they come towards the nest of eggs!

 

[FishGeek]

I would say for a single pair the 20G will be fine. I would get a group of maybe five juvies to start with and get your pair that way. You may be able to get away with just getting a male and 2 females though. Get a terracotta pot and put that in the tank. You dont really have to break it in any way if you dont want. And yes you are right a pair of Cons will kill anything in the tank they are in.