Convict Cichlid
cryptoheros nigrofasciatus

It belongs to the family Cichlidae

Click here to learn what a cichlid is.

Cost: 5$-15$ Sometimes from breeders you can get the fry for free.

Origin:
Central America, Guatemala to Panama

Size:
Males will be around 3inches (7.5 cm). With the females being a lot smaller.

Sexual distinctions:
The female will be smaller with a metallic orange color to it’s dorsal fin, or sometimes on the belly. For the albino forms the size difference will be the only way to tell the sexual differences.

Tank Conditions:
Temperature 74-81 Fahrenheit (23.5-27 Celsius). Water, hard to very hard, Ph of 7.5 or above. The Ph is not a huge issue but don’t let eater get below a rating of 6. It will do well in a tank that has rocks, weathered wood of some kind, and or clay pots.

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It’s always good to have some plants in a tank but with convicts it’s most likely that they will be up rooted, so if you have plants be sure to have them in pots or between rocks where they won’t be up rooted as easily. The Convict Cichlid tends to stay near the bottom of the tank.

Food:
It’s naturally omnivorous, but also needs large amounts of algae. Be Warned, may eat small tank mates.

Behavior:
In the wild the Convict Cichlid is very territorial in the wild and must fight viciously to defend it’s territory, so it is also territorial in the fish tank so be sure to have plenty of hiding places, and give plenty of room so that territorial disputes are avoided. When guessing if your tank if big enough for a fish, it’s not the gallons that matter really, it’s more the space it offers. So for a Convict Cichlid a tank with the measurements of 24 x 16 x 16 inches (60 x 40 x 40 cm) for a single pair will be good. If the pair is sharing a tank the 48 x 16 x 16 inches (120 x 40 x 40 cm ) would be recommended. Even though you can have other tank mates it is recommended that you only have one pair per tank.

Breeding:
The Convict Cichlid makes great parents. Will spawn usually caves and and or on the substrate, very easy to breed if given the appropriate tank space (mentioned earlier).