Whats up with Convicts?

[Rivers2k]

Disclaimer ***this is for my own education and curiosity this is not meant to offend anyone. Just want to know why people love them.

Convicts, seems like everyone who has cichlids owns them or has owned them in the past. However they have never really done anything for me. Really no color, just grey and black, and from what I read they are mean buggers who tear anything apart. I love new world cichlids but convicts eh not so much.

So what is it that has everyone so hung up on them? I would love to know.

Is it the temperament? Do people like mean buggers lol
Is it the coloring?
Is it because they breed all the time and want the experience of breeding?
Is it something that only one would know by keeping one?

What is it that makes you love this fish?

 

[haleybeth30]

cichlid keeping is relatively new to me, so it is cool to have a convict pair for me. When I bought them, I didn't know I had a m and f, though. It is fun to wstch them puff up their gills and wiggle aggressively toward fish twice their size. Even though they are feisty little buggers.. I think my female almost killed my male, his tail was gone.. but not sure as there are other fish in the tank. He's ok now, fully grown back and now her tail is split up..? For me, that stuff just comes with the hobby. I will be homing then in their own tank soon, if that works out... Also, the females can be quite colorful w orange bellies, mine also has yellow and blue coloring on the fins at times.. I think a lot of it is their temperament in compsrison with their size, they are so cute in all their rottenness =)

 

[Rivers2k]

HAHA that's great. I understand liking feisty little fish, love it when any pet not just fish have attitudes twice there size. I did not know about the other colors, all the ones I see online a very drab looking.

 

[RugbyBunny]

I have a convict. We call him Al... For Alcatraz. Lame, I know, but my kids love it. Anyway, he loves to go nose to nose with our red parrot cichlid. It's fun to watch the 2 of them go at it. He's got beautiful long fins and he's fairly active. I wasn't sure about getting him in the first place, cause the color isn't all that exciting. But he's turned out to be pretty awesome.


This is Al.

 

[Wailing Banshee]

Al should get a nice big hump on his head as he grows (if he gets enough protein). I have two females. They have bright orange bellies. I like their aggressive, hungry puppy dog ways. I don't like fish that hide from me. I think they are popular bc they breed easily. Also, there is a white/pinkish strain of them now.

 

[Khazmachi]

I haven't kept convicts so I can't comment on there personality, but to me markings can be just as eye catching as colors. I do like the stripes that convicts have. I tend to keep fish that are not overly aggressive so that I why I haven't kept them as of yet. Also they are very common so if I can find something that I don't see every day I'll go for that instead. If you would like a fish similar to the convict, but with more color I would highly recommend Honduran Red Points. I picked up a couple of them about a month or two ago, and really love them.

 

[Rivers2k]

I have a convict. We call him Al... For Alcatraz. Lame, I know, but my kids love it. Anyway, he loves to go nose to nose with our red parrot cichlid. It's fun to watch the 2 of them go at it. He's got beautiful long fins and he's fairly active. I wasn't sure about getting him in the first place, cause the color isn't all that exciting. But he's turned out to be pretty awesome.

View attachment 199728
This is Al.

Al is cool name. I think its original.

 

[FishBoy185]

I love my convict! Her name is spike she is awsome she does get territorial at times though.

 

[sealife]

I have 2 female convicts (didn't want a breeding pair). One female is the usual black stripped convict, and the other is the white convict. (or pink convict)
Females have beautiful colours. Orange bellies and colourful blue/green dorsal and bottom fins. (not sure if I'm allowed to spell the correct term for 'bottom' on here)
While I agree male convicts can look a bit drab, especially when they grow larger.

My convicts have great personality too. A little on the crazy/mental side, which is hilarious to watch.
One convict in particular will follow my finger around the tank. Everywhere I move, she follows.
If I tap the glass while she is in hiding, she comes speeding out and rams herself to my finger lol. She wants to see what I'm doing to her tank.

I'll post a couple pics of the 2 convicts in my tank. You can see the colours in females.

 

[Rivers2k]

Thank you all for your input I am glad I asked. I learned a few things. I did not know about the yellow greens and reds that are on female convicts. I also didn't know about the puppy dog personalities following fingers and such. Sounds like the same reasons I like my Jacks.

I don't have room for a convict now so I wont be rushing out to get one but it has made these little guys a little more endearing.

 

[bettaowner]

I like convicts. I have some fry now

 

[Rivers2k]

So I started this thread back in September wondering why people own convicts. Well 10 months later I am now the owner of a cute little female convict. Saw her in the store and just couldn't pass her up. she is a little smaller than a dime but has the attitude to handle the larger HRP's she is in with.

I also have 6 Honduran red points (cousin to the convict) 2 rio danli and 4 leucistic. I stumbled on these while researching convicts.

Thanks to the people on this thread for perking my interest on these fish. I am greatly enjoying all of these. They do have the best personalities.

 

[Caliban07]

Hi rivers2k

I reckon one of the reasons most ppl have had convicts is because they are so often recommended as a beginner fish for cichlid noobs just like firemouths. Mainly because of they can be kept in smaller sized tank of 50+ which is probably also the biggest reaches of the average persons size tank.

It's probably only once they have them that people get attached and can have good things to say about them. I haven't owned any but I do like the colours myself.

 

[Trudgy]

Cant ever miss my convict great fish

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