Ive kept and seen alot of cichlids. But the first one i ever bought wuz a convict. And its prolly still my all time fav fish. He showed his colors all the time. Literally had every color in the rainbow on him
Ditto! also love schooling aquariums and nothing beats convicts. They do breed at an astonishing rate however with as cool as it is to see them grouped together if not contained properly, their numbers can get out of control. Also seen piranhas paired together in a school of convicts but the convicts has to be significantly higher in number in order for it to work or (as most of us know) piranhas will attack them but if their numbers are higher however, the tables will rapidly turn in favor of the convicts and the less prone they'll be at going after them. In addition, if you pair piranhas with the convicts I wouldn't go anymore than two adults as two is all it takes for both species to coexist but they are awesome to see cruising the aquariums together and as said in the video seventy five gallons (or more). Don't try the above combo in anything under seventy five gallons as it will undoubtedly end in failure. the coexisting will only work if both species of fish have lots of room to swim as said in the video they are territorial. In a larger aquarium however you might be lucky enough to school both species in the same aquarium. but speaking in terms of a hundred and twenty gallons or more. (again) the less swimming space that they have the more prone they'll be to attacking the other fish but beautiful to see 🤩together otherwise. 😎 They'll even work together to take down food items such as live fish the piranha wound(s) it convicts will take bites out of it as well. (in a swarm), yes I've seen both species go to town on fish prime rib(s) steak chicken ham and so on. we actually did a live feeding with a white sucker once this thing was massive for it's size (like eight inches) they destroyed it. The convicts if *raised *** with juvenile piranhas, will actually help them catch and kill it. Yes. I've seen it happen but they gotta be raised together for them to fully 🔄synchronize 👍🏽and work as a team. 😎
To elaborate one convict grabbed it by it's tail while the piranha charges it. the only way piranha will ever attack anything from the front (no matter what it is) by seeing it in distress. Otherwise it's always from the rear. They decommission it's main source of mobility, (the tail) then charge it once weakened. The convicts are exceptionally great when it comes to cornering prey like a pack of dogs they close in enabling the piranhas to strike from wherever. Usually from above if not pinned down /mortally wounded.
I always check out your guys videos, this is the fish I wanted to see your advice on, lve kept convicts for over 20 years and still learning, keep up the amazing work fellas 👍
My convict has settled really well in my community tank, I have a random mixture, rainbow cichlids, an electric blue acara, black phantom tetras, blue gouramis, bigger mollies. Aggression has been totally fine, he swims around quite often. Doesn't get territorial. A little with feeding time but nothing to be much of a worry.
Just recently lost my first and only "convict" in the convict parrot that I got. It worked really well for a long time, convicts are awesome! Especially the female ones. Thanks for making this video guys, people deserve to find ways to keep this awesome fish :)
I just started a 75 gal tank with polar blue cichlids. So this list was just what i needed to see today as i’ve been wondering what else i could put in there with them. I think i’m going to finally pull the trigger on a jack dempsey. Ive never had one before and i just got done watching Boardwalk Empire and Jack Dempsey was in the show so i feel like that was a sign😂
Just put a juvenile convict, salvini, and firemouth in with my young adult green severum in my 125. They're practically schooling unless someone crosses the wrong boundary. Cant wait for them to grow.
I had what most people consider an overstocked tank , my 55 gallon has a 7.5 inch terror and a 4.5 inch convict with a school of 7 giant danios and it’s also a planted tank but I’ve arranged it in a way where it all works extremely well and I don’t have any aggression issues luckily my terror is a teddy bear and I’m over filtered. All this being said this setup may not work with everyone nor is it recommended but I just wanted to share
I have a 55 with a geo tapajos (he's getting returned for aggresion) a blood parrot, an electric blue acara, a pictus, and a bristlenose pleco. I'm outgrowing a firemouth and a convict. I'm also over filtered and have plenty of decor
I like to mix the convict cichlid with oscars, pike cichlids, blood parrot cichlids, tilapia buttekofri and severums. Would mixing them with firemouths, jewel cichlids, texas cichlids, jack dempsey, jaguar cichlids be a good mix?
I have pink convict pair with Texas / peacock / jaguar / chocolate & red head demon earth eaters they all seem to be fine together I’m looking to add red terror in the mix 💪💪
I have a 55 gallon tank and was thinking of getting 1 fire mouth, 1 convict, 1 Dempsey and a few dither fish would it work short term and upgrade a little later to a 75 gallon?
Welp, Ive decided to change my mind about the Salvini. I keep Southies in my 450g DIY tank and am building a 300g for a bit more "energy" fish.. 2 Oscars and 1 GT and 1 True Parrot and 1 JD and 3 Firemoths and 2 Vieja and 2-3 Black Convicts.. Was thinking Salvini because of cool appearance, however I dont want total chaos so ?
I have a convict with a fire mouth and a blood parrot and a golden saum with some silver dollars in a 55 and I’d recommend a blood parrot but I’m upgrading to a 90 or a 110 here later in the year when there not baby’s anymore
Shockingly I have a breeding pair of convicts in a community overstocked 135 gallon with way bigger ca/sa cichlids and they hold their own and are thriving in it the male convict is pretty big though about 4.5 inches currently and tall body
Hey cichlids bro's i have a green sevrum and a convict not sure if the convict is a Male or female they are in my 75 year gallons tank can i put more sevrum and convict just asking you because don't want to overcrowd my tank please let me know 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼❤❤
I have a polar blue parrot which is a short body convict. It has always been the tank boss even though it is maybe 1.5 inches. I added a 2” Rainbow and the PBP would pick on it constantly. I added 4 more Rainbows and now the aggression has lessened tremendously-possibly by “overcrowding” like with Africans. They have dug a giant hole under the driftwood and they all hang out together. PS. I have 3 2” Nicaraguan cichlids in quarantine that will be added to the bunch.
Have 6 Nicaraguan cichlid in my tank and but recently sold 5 and kept 1 for myself. I tried to add him in my convict tank and its not a good combination for me. The Nicaraguan cichlid is beating up everybody including the large pleco. I mean nonstop just nipping every fish in the tank. Was kinda hoping that they get along since both fish look good together. But for now hes gonna be in a separate tank since he just ate all the convict frys😫
😢im new to the fish keeping and recently got 2 pairs of convicts they were in one tank but none was happy so i move the one pair and found babies now im forced to put the babies in a tank and the other pair with my comunity tank and in woried...i keep plecos ,silver dollars ,red tail rainbow shark ,black skirt purple tetra, so i put a spawning net in the corner of my big tank and added the pair of convicts they sure look peacefull now but my little tetra is gaurding that spawning net 😂i realy wana set them free but i dont want injuries for any....so im getting another big tank😂😂😂 why not❤
From personal experience, if you have a breeding pair, they will easily hold 50% of a 125 gallon even with 20-30 3-5” male haps and peacocks from Africa, they’re nasty and tough as nails. If you wanna get a pair, look for one with an orange patch and lighter fin tips and one with no orange patch and much darker colors. Im 3 for 3 on selecting pair. Theyll terrorize tank mates like mbuna. But they are a pretty and cool experience to watch breed.
I HAVE A PAIR OF CONVICT 'S AND A JACK DEMPSEY .WILL THE JACK DEMPSEY HARM THEM HE'S ALWAYS CHASING THE GIRL CONVICT HOW CAN I FIX THIS PROBLEM .I HAVE A 30 GALLON HIGH.
Links to food we use with convict cichlids:
- Xtreme Krill Flakes - geni.us/iTAWsN
- Xtreme Nice Pellets - geni.us/6ADcc
I think Convicts get looked over because of how common they are but they’re one of my favorite fish, if not my favorite. Great video!
People are warned against them become of how quickly they are known to breed
Ive kept and seen alot of cichlids. But the first one i ever bought wuz a convict. And its prolly still my all time fav fish. He showed his colors all the time. Literally had every color in the rainbow on him
Ditto! also love schooling aquariums and nothing beats convicts. They do breed at an astonishing rate however with as cool as it is to see them grouped together if not contained properly, their numbers can get out of control.
Also seen piranhas paired together in a school of convicts but the convicts has to be significantly higher in number in order for it to work or (as most of us know) piranhas will attack them but if their numbers are higher however, the tables will rapidly turn in favor of the convicts and the less prone they'll be at going after them. In addition, if you pair piranhas with the convicts I wouldn't go anymore than two adults as two is all it takes for both species to coexist but they are awesome to see cruising the aquariums together and as said in the video seventy five gallons (or more).
Don't try the above combo in anything under seventy five gallons as it will undoubtedly end in failure. the coexisting will only work if both species of fish have lots of room to swim as said in the video they are territorial.
In a larger aquarium however you might be lucky enough to school both species in the same aquarium. but speaking in terms of a hundred and twenty gallons or more. (again) the less swimming space that they have the more prone they'll be to attacking the other fish but beautiful to see
🤩together otherwise. 😎
They'll even work together to take down food items such as live fish the piranha wound(s) it convicts will take bites out of it as well. (in a swarm), yes I've seen both species go to town on fish prime rib(s) steak chicken ham and so on. we actually did a live feeding with a white sucker once this thing was massive for it's size
(like eight inches) they destroyed it.
The convicts if *raised *** with juvenile piranhas, will actually help them catch and kill it. Yes. I've seen it happen but they gotta be raised together for them to fully 🔄synchronize 👍🏽and work as a team. 😎
To elaborate one convict grabbed it by it's tail while the piranha charges it. the only way piranha will ever attack anything from the front (no matter what it is) by seeing it in distress. Otherwise it's always from the rear. They decommission it's main source of mobility, (the tail) then charge it once weakened.
The convicts are exceptionally great when it comes to cornering prey like a pack of dogs they close in enabling the piranhas to strike from wherever. Usually from above if not pinned down /mortally wounded.
I bought 4 Convicts 3 years ago. Since then, hundreds have been spawned. I had to divide them into 3 tanks, small medium and large.
I always check out your guys videos, this is the fish I wanted to see your advice on, lve kept convicts for over 20 years and still learning, keep up the amazing work fellas 👍
Awesome, glad it's helpful. Thanks for following along with the channel!
My convict has settled really well in my community tank, I have a random mixture, rainbow cichlids, an electric blue acara, black phantom tetras, blue gouramis, bigger mollies.
Aggression has been totally fine, he swims around quite often. Doesn't get territorial. A little with feeding time but nothing to be much of a worry.
Just recently lost my first and only "convict" in the convict parrot that I got. It worked really well for a long time, convicts are awesome! Especially the female ones. Thanks for making this video guys, people deserve to find ways to keep this awesome fish :)
Sorry to hear about your Convict!
I just started a 75 gal tank with polar blue cichlids. So this list was just what i needed to see today as i’ve been wondering what else i could put in there with them. I think i’m going to finally pull the trigger on a jack dempsey. Ive never had one before and i just got done watching Boardwalk Empire and Jack Dempsey was in the show so i feel like that was a sign😂
More videos of convicts please
Just put a juvenile convict, salvini, and firemouth in with my young adult green severum in my 125. They're practically schooling unless someone crosses the wrong boundary. Cant wait for them to grow.
When you mention 75g tanks, could a 60 breeder work? It is a lot easier for me when it comes to tank maintenance than the taller 75g.
I wish to know if the jack dempsey is good with the polar blue parrot convict??
The peacock bass for me goes well with convicts.
I had what most people consider an overstocked tank , my 55 gallon has a 7.5 inch terror and a 4.5 inch convict with a school of 7 giant danios and it’s also a planted tank but I’ve arranged it in a way where it all works extremely well and I don’t have any aggression issues luckily my terror is a teddy bear and I’m over filtered. All this being said this setup may not work with everyone nor is it recommended but I just wanted to share
I have a 55 with a geo tapajos (he's getting returned for aggresion) a blood parrot, an electric blue acara, a pictus, and a bristlenose pleco. I'm outgrowing a firemouth and a convict. I'm also over filtered and have plenty of decor
I like to mix the convict cichlid with oscars, pike cichlids, blood parrot cichlids, tilapia buttekofri and severums. Would mixing them with firemouths, jewel cichlids, texas cichlids, jack dempsey, jaguar cichlids be a good mix?
u can mix them with chiclid that get 12 inches or 8 inches nothing bigger or smaller also they are extremly aggressive sometimes
Jaguar cichlid I had in a 125 gallon tank got to 18" and was not that tolerant of others.
I have pink convict pair with Texas / peacock / jaguar / chocolate & red head demon earth eaters they all seem to be fine together I’m looking to add red terror in the mix 💪💪
What fish will be best tank mate for reducing convict cichlid fries? I have pair breeds like rabbits.
How many gallon is that tank? Looks like a good tank size for my cichlid tank I’m planning to get
I have a 55 gallon tank and was thinking of getting 1 fire mouth, 1 convict, 1 Dempsey and a few dither fish would it work short term and upgrade a little later to a 75 gallon?
Yep, should probably work out fine!
Welp, Ive decided to change my mind about the Salvini. I keep Southies in my 450g DIY tank and am building a 300g for a bit more "energy" fish.. 2 Oscars and 1 GT and 1 True Parrot and 1 JD and 3 Firemoths and 2 Vieja and 2-3 Black Convicts.. Was thinking Salvini because of cool appearance, however I dont want total chaos so ?
They should be fine in a 300 gallon. It’ll probably be the most aggressive in the tank but the size should give enough territory for it to work out
I have a convict with a fire mouth and a blood parrot and a golden saum with some silver dollars in a 55 and I’d recommend a blood parrot but I’m upgrading to a 90 or a 110 here later in the year when there not baby’s anymore
Shockingly I have a breeding pair of convicts in a community overstocked 135 gallon with way bigger ca/sa cichlids and they hold their own and are thriving in it the male convict is pretty big though about 4.5 inches currently and tall body
What are your thoughts on keeping Swordtails with Central American Cichlids? I've seen them recommended as dithers.
It could possibly work with the smaller/mid sized CA cichlids. We haven't personally done it though, so can't confirm
It worked for me!
Hey cichlids bro's i have a green sevrum and a convict not sure if the convict is a Male or female they are in my 75 year gallons tank can i put more sevrum and convict just asking you because don't want to overcrowd my tank please let me know 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼❤❤
I would maybe stick to just one severum in a 75 gallon. They get large as adults so two severums + tank mates may be pushing it some
I have a polar blue parrot which is a short body convict. It has always been the tank boss even though it is maybe 1.5 inches. I added a 2” Rainbow and the PBP would pick on it constantly. I added 4 more Rainbows and now the aggression has lessened tremendously-possibly by “overcrowding” like with Africans. They have dug a giant hole under the driftwood and they all hang out together. PS. I have 3 2” Nicaraguan cichlids in quarantine that will be added to the bunch.
I just mixed some convicts with my big angel. Hope goes well
Would I be able to do 1 convict 1 electric blue acara with 6 gold barbs in 75 gallon aquarium?
Yep, should be fine
Have 6 Nicaraguan cichlid in my tank and but recently sold 5 and kept 1 for myself. I tried to add him in my convict tank and its not a good combination for me. The Nicaraguan cichlid is beating up everybody including the large pleco. I mean nonstop just nipping every fish in the tank. Was kinda hoping that they get along since both fish look good together. But for now hes gonna be in a separate tank since he just ate all the convict frys😫
I kept my convicts with a Jack Dempsey and a few parrot cichlids in a 120 for years
Very nice!
😢im new to the fish keeping and recently got 2 pairs of convicts they were in one tank but none was happy so i move the one pair and found babies now im forced to put the babies in a tank and the other pair with my comunity tank and in woried...i keep plecos ,silver dollars ,red tail rainbow shark ,black skirt purple tetra, so i put a spawning net in the corner of my big tank and added the pair of convicts they sure look peacefull now but my little tetra is gaurding that spawning net 😂i realy wana set them free but i dont want injuries for any....so im getting another big tank😂😂😂 why not❤
Do you think one would be happy in a 29 gallon alone?
It would probably be okay. A bit tight for an adult though
How do I tell the difference between male and female convicts ?
Female has pinkish/orange on side usually
@@CichlidBros okay my two have a blue gray and black color to them
My severum doesn’t even bother my neon tetras❤
From personal experience, if you have a breeding pair, they will easily hold 50% of a 125 gallon even with 20-30 3-5” male haps and peacocks from Africa, they’re nasty and tough as nails. If you wanna get a pair, look for one with an orange patch and lighter fin tips and one with no orange patch and much darker colors. Im 3 for 3 on selecting pair. Theyll terrorize tank mates like mbuna. But they are a pretty and cool experience to watch breed.
I keep them with bigger african cichlids and they are chilling together
Is the wood in the 110 real or fake?
It’s real wood
I’ve had peaceful single specimens before housed with 5 fire mouths in a 75 with no issues for many years.
What about key hole chiclids ?
Might get bullied by the convict
Can live with ramirezi and Angel Fish?
Not the best pairing
My convict is in with silver dollars and even schools with them.
My fire mouth and convict bred!
They breed like rabbits and sort of stir up trouble. I won't get any others, because I kept getting baby fish.
Mine are having so many babies and my tank is full
Nice!
Blue acaras are actually from central and South America
South America, as I said
They are from south america but websites kept saying central and south America maybe there is small populations in central America.
@@CichlidBros They are actually found in central America. They can be found in Panama.
No T-Bar?
Would probably work well
I really wonder why you guys never talk about hybrids like flowerhorns and blood parrots
Not a huge fan of blood parrots personally. We do have a flowerhorn though
@@CichlidBros ooooh 🥺
Tough little fish. You can get good color on the females.
Agreed!
I HAVE A PAIR OF CONVICT 'S AND A JACK DEMPSEY .WILL THE JACK DEMPSEY HARM THEM HE'S ALWAYS CHASING THE GIRL CONVICT HOW CAN I FIX THIS PROBLEM .I HAVE A 30 GALLON HIGH.
It likely won’t work out in a tank that small. I would recommend a minimum of a 55 gallon tank for them
What about most freshwater sharks ? I have some semi aggressive some peaceful but all get to be atleast 6”
My small convicts killed an ate my two Colombian sharks. The we’re about 3” long.