Unlikely Convict Cichlid Tank Mate

[robertmarda]

For those interested in convict cichlid's you might like this.

Since 16 Dec 2003 I have had my 6 inch long convict cichlid living with a plain (not fancy) guppy in a 20 gallon tank. The guppy is about a half inch long. This was not planned, as I don't want the guppy to get eaten. However on the 16 Dec 2003 I found my turtle (6 inch long red slider) eating my firemouth cichlid who was still alive. I also noticed wounds on the side of the above mentioned convict cichlid.

I moved them both to my 20 gallon tank. I put the firemouth cichlid in my breeding area so that no other fish in the 20 gallon tank could bother him. I moved my baby red devil (about 1 inch long), 2 zebra danios, and lemon tetra to my 55 gallon tank. I did not move the guppy because I knew he was bite sized for my 7 inch Salvini and the turtle. I left the algea eater to keep the tank clean and figured he wouldn't cause the convict much trouble. The convict was not acting wounded, he simply looked it and so I moved him as a precaution.

My best option was to leave him with the convict cichlid and trust him to not eat him. I bought this convict cichlid when he was one fourth inch long and put him in my 55 gallon tank. At that time he was the smallest fish in the tank and the first aggressive I added to my community tank. My hope was he would consider the guppy as a tank mate rather than food since he grew up with fish all around him. This seems to have worked.

The guppy came to investigate the convict soon after I put him in the tank and swam to within about an inch of his mouth. I was thinking he was tempting fate, but the convict ignored him and has continued to ignore him to this day. Of course I can't say the same for the algea eater (who is about 2 or 3 inches long). The convict often waits near one of the openings in the ceramic tree where the algea eater always hangs out. I don't think the convict has ever been able to do anything more than chase the algea eater who is still doing fine. So perhaps the algea eater has helped the convict decide to leave the guppy alone.

 

[tkos]

My friend had a left over cherry barb in his convict tank and it lasted for over a year. But one day the convicts finally decided to finish him and now he is gone. So don't be surprised in the future if the guppy disappears.

 

[Thaiboxer]

It's amazing how different our experiences can be...

I have a convict in my 55 gallon aggressive tank, and he loves to eat guppies! He's about 1.5" long, and will eat half inch guppies without a second thought.

Funny how they can behave so differently!

BTW, none of my aggressives mess with my pleco - they just pretend he's not there. They may have tried at one point, but he's pretty tough! 8)

 

[ferret]

Male convicts are generally okay with other fish. Most of the aggression comes from breeding and protecting their fry. You could have a group of females with almost no issues, but as I've stated elsewhere, the problems arise when you have multiple males without enough territory, or a breeding pair.

As in almost all cases, your milage will vary, but I do not advocate keeping a breeding pair of convicts with any other fish. A group of females could be quite a center piece though, especially if they are a good dark color with their brillant orange stomach/underside blotch clearly visible.

 

[robertmarda]

The two female convicts have a visible orange pattern on their bellies. They are currently in my 55 gallon tank. Much as I am amused by my male convict cichlid's disinterest in the guppy, I will be moving him back to the 55 gallon tank soon. He looks recovered, but I think he is frustrated with the smaller tank and I haven't seen him eat since placing him there. For him this is unusual, since he is usually the 2nd or 3rd fish to chomp a shrimp pellet as it falls into the 55 gallon tank. So now that he looks healthy my concern is he's not eating well and so I want him back in the 55 gallon tank where he grew up. The guppy of course can't go there since I know a number of the other inhabitants will have no problem eating him.

Another thing I have done is to never intentionally give any live food to my aggressive fish. This is in the hope they will be satisfied with the dry food and consider swimming fish as tank mates. For the most part this seems to be working.

I may have to move the turtle as he seems to be becoming a danger to my fish and of course moves everything he can. Also since I added the turtle to the tank over 8 months ago, he has always pestered the male convict cichlid. I often see him purposely enter the convict's territory, move right in front of the convict, and vibrate his claws beside the convicts mouth. The convicts usual reaction is to push the turtle away. This added to my decision to move the male convict when I noticed it was slightly wounded.

 

[ferret]

What kind of turtle is it? I would suspect it'll eventually need a larger tank more suited to turtles as it reaches adulthood anyways.

Also, are you aware of the aggressive reputation red devils have?

 

[robertmarda]

Yes, I am aware that the turtle will need another place better suited for him. He was not intended to be part of my on going experiment. My wife surprised me by buying him and bringing him home.

As for the red devil. I am aware of their reputation. She is part of my on going experiment to mix fish that people say can't be mixed. I got her when she was the size of the guppy (half inch) when I got her. In fact she lived with the guppy for a few days. The guppy pestered her no end and was always turning his male fin toward her as if she were a guppy. This is why I refer to the red devil as a her, although the guppy did get the species wrong, I don't believe he would be confused about the sex of the fish. So I have been raising this red devil with fish in the hopes she will accept them as tank mates when larger. For now, she is behaving in the 55 gallon tank. She clusters with all the other fish at feeding time. She eats from my finger when the mollies let her. The eat from my finger too. The Salvini even took food from my finger once, a couple days ago.

At the time I notice the red devil not behaving I can divide the 55 gallon tank and/or move the smaller fish to my 20 gallon tank. I also have friends that can take some of my fish if needed. So I do have back up plans and my intent is not to let whoever survives survive. My plan is for them all to survive and live together in harmony.

 

[ferret]

Good luck. I think the red devil and the turtle are going to be your biggest misfits in the end. Well, the turtle definately will be ;p

Watch the convicts, but you might make it. 55 gallons is the size generally suggested as minimum for 2 breeding pairs, so 2 females and 1 male should work out.

 

[robertmarda]

I am constantly watching for shifts in territory and behavior. I may have a problem reintegrating the male convict into the 55 gallon tank because the Salvini seems to think he is king of the tank now that he is the only large fish in the tank.

I constantly watch to see who chases who and how far. To me this marks edges of territory. Oh, and of course, nobody bothers the 8 inch long pleco. He goes where he pleases and everyone makes way. He often pushes the turtle out of the way so he can get some shrimp pellets.

 

[robertmarda]

I find it interesting that the mollies don't really respect anyones territory. Sometimes they get chased an inch or two and sometimes not. The tiger barbs do seem to respect the larger fishes territories and sort of have their own. The firemouth, male convict, and one female convict seemed to actively defend the same territory and cooperate. The female convict that always haned out with the male would always chase the other female far away. The diamond tetra just sort of swims around and seldom seems to get chased by any one. Same for the lemon tetra.