| Family: |
Cichlidae |
| Other Names: |
Zebra Cichlid, Pink or Albino Convict, Congo Convict |
| Habitat: |
Rivers,
streams, and lakes in Central America |
| Diet: |
Carnivorous
(Flakes, Carnivore Pellets, Brine Shrimp) |
| Tanks
Levels: |
Not confined one area unless in a tank with a lot of
fish, they fight for territory |
| Temperament: |
Aggressive
and Territorial, will eat anything that can fit inside its mouth! They become more
temperamental during spawning |
| Water
Temperature: |
72o-83o
F |
| pH: |
7.0-8.5 |
| Care: |
Feed everyday, keep tank clean, & do regular water
changes |
| Sexing: |
Males
have a hump on forehead along with longer dorsal and anal fins and larger than the female.
The females generally look darker in color, smaller in size and has orange spots. |
| Life
Span: |
2-5
years approximate estimate |
| Suggested Additional Information: |
Use a
tank that is at least 29 gallons for one pair of
convicts. Make sure there are lots of hiding places because the Convict is a
"Cave Fish". These fish will spawn and spawn again and you will end up
with HUNDREDS of Convicts! Be sure to keep this in mind before you get your own
Convicts. |
What are Cichlids
(Convicts)? 
Cichlids (sick'-lids) are colorful and interesting
perch-like fishes of the family Cichlidae. They are found in the tropical freshwaters of
Africa, South and Central America, India, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar where they have
radiated dramatically into a dazzling array of shapes, colors and forms. There are
approximately 1500 species known to science, with most of these found in the Great Rift
Lakes of Eastern Africa - Lakes Malawi, Tanganyika and Victoria. Aside from their
beautiful colors which often approximate those of marine reef fishes, what makes these
fishes popular with aquarists is their interesting reproductive behavior. Cichlids exhibit
elaborates courtship rituals, often pair bond, and practice parental care of their eggs
and young. Some species are mouthbrooders, picking up their eggs for incubation in their
throat cavities. Cichlids are easily bred in the aquarium where aquarists can watch these
interesting behaviors firsthand. For that reason, cichlids have become amongst the most
popular of tropical aquarium fishes.
MALE or FEMALE?
To tell the difference
between a male and female is fairly easy. It shouldn't be made difficult. When
Convicts are immature, it is a little difficult to tell them apart which is a male and
which is a female.
Male |
Female |
|
|
Males are larger than females and they usually have a hump
on their forehead as seen on the table. Their anal and dorsal fins are longer than
the females also.
Females are smaller than
males and they have orange spots on the bellies. Their
anal and dorsal fins are not as long as the males. If you look carefully, you can
see the orange spots on the female in the table.
