cory cat question

[pookie71384]

I have a 29 gallon tank with a single female black convict that's about 2 inches long and a pleco that's about 4 or 5 inches...can I put a school of corys with my female convict without them being bothered???...I want to make sure all my fish live comfortably and peacefully

 

[nathey6]

Yeah, I think that would be ok, just be careful and watch them very closely for a few days.

 

[pookie71384]

cool...thanks alot

 

[Jason7894561230]

No no no no, the convict wouldnt like the corys. The convict is quite an aggresive species and would more than likely tear them to bits. I ahve had this happen to myself when i foolishly put them together. So from me its a MASSIVE no no. But its just MHO

 

[joel618]

I personally wouldn't. I have a soft spot for corrie cats.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Nope. They may last in the beginning but since they are small and have a slow growth rate they will be under attack from that convict.

 

[pookie71384]

thanks...can anyone really tell me what I can put with them???

 

[Fishkeeper26]

thanks...can anyone really tell me what I can put with them???

With your convict?

 

[pookie71384]

yes with my convict

 

[Jason7894561230]

A another convict, different sex so they will breed.

 

[pookie71384]

I would get another convict so they could breed but I talked to my local pet store and they don't take fry or any fish and the petlands I know said they couldn't take them because there tanks are always full...I have no one to give the fry to when they get bigger...I can't keep like a hundred baby convicts in a 29 gallon tank...that's just crazy lol...thanks for the reply though

 

[boadams87]

I would get another convict so they could breed but I talked to my local pet store and they don't take fry or any fish and the petlands I know said they couldn't take them because there tanks are always full...I have no one to give the fry to when they get bigger...I can't keep like a hundred baby convicts in a 29 gallon tank...that's just crazy lol...thanks for the reply though

U could always place an ad here or on aquabid.com and sell them. Just a thought

 

[5x5]

Don't get into breeding convicts unless you have a specific reason to do so. As you pointed out, no one will take them and they are so common and cheap.

I posted my comments about convicts and corys in your other thread. If a peaceful tank is a high priority for you, I wouldn't do it. Convicts aren't the peaceful type in general. You might want to look into Honduran red points if you like convicts but want a more peaceful variety.

 

[pookie71384]

thank you...a peaceful tank isn't a priority...I just want a tank mate that I can put in with her...I can't find any information online...nothing online is specific

 

[5x5]

Well IMO there is no good answer to your question. I think a second female convict is the best choice. A keyhole cichlid might work or you could look into a red jewel cichlid. The jewel is an African riverine cichlid and has the same water requirements and is pretty tough.

There are some concerns with all three choices, but they are more likely to work than the Defenseless corys. Hope this is helpful, but you would have a lot more options if you eventually went to a 40+ gallon.

 

[pookie71384]

thanks for all the info you've givin me...I appreciate it very much...its looking like if I want more then one species of cichlid or more then one cichlid in my tank I'm going to have to get a larger one...ill probably get a 55 gallon...a 55 gallon would be good right?

 

[5x5]

No problem. Yes, a 55 would give you way more options than 29.

The challenge with cichlids in any tank size is that you can't add as many as you would like or as many look like the right number to fill the tank out.

If you consider a 55, you might also want to look 75 and 90, since they are also 4ft tanks. They don't take up any more space really and give a lot more options.

 

[severum mama]

A 55 gallon would be good, I agree. A 75 or a 90 is even better!

I actually agree with everything that 5x5 has said with one exception- based on my experiences keeping keyhole cichlids, I think even a mellow convict would just tear a keyhole apart. Keyholes behave a lot more like rams or apistogramma, even though they are a little larger than those fish.

 

[5x5]

You are probably right. I'll concede that the keyholes probably aren't tough enough to withstand a convict in that tank.

If you lose the convict you can try a keyhole with the corydoras though.

 

[pookie71384]

thanks