ocelot1120

it is a 40 gal now, had to replace the 29 gal. thanx but i've been using that as a referance long before i ever joined this forum. it still didnt specificly list compatable tankmates. what would happen if i just got a male (4 the female) convict and let nature take over? the only other thing in the tank is that pleco which the convict has never bothered.

Shawnie

well i have a pair of convicts, and their fry...and NOTHING can go in with them or else they would kill them...it wouldnt be a happy tank...although the convicts are amazing to watch as parents, would you be happy with just them?

ocelot1120

i would be ok with them i guess as long as there wont be a problem for the pleco after they mate. also would nature regulate the population (if you know what i mean)? i absolutly have nowhere else for the pleco.

Shawnie

no, they breed like rabbits LOL and unless your fishstore would take them, it keeps going and going and....you know what i mean the pleco mite have a snack or two, if the convicts let him near them....again, I wouldnt trust a mating pair of convicts with anything...wish I had more answers for ya ...why not return the convict and build from there?

ocelot1120

they will not take returns after 2 weeks

Shawnie

give it to them for free! everyone likes free..then you have more choices

ocelot1120

i tried to give them a 5" goldfish once, free, clear, no questions asked and they refused and told me it was company policy

Barbrella

When I called angels and severums "mild mannered", I mean mild in comparison to other cichlids. All cichlids are aggressive to different degrees, all the way down to docile Keyholes, who still get territorial at breeding time.

Yes, they get very big and are considered semi-aggressive as compared to really aggressive cichlids, like green terrors and convicts, with which they should never be kept as they can't possible hold their own against them.

I kept my breeding pair in a very large tank with lots of plants and wood and large tetras. In that setting they were not shy at all (would eat from my hands) but were easily startled so you need to keep the tank out of a high traffic area.

ocelot1120, if you have a pair of convicts, you're going to have hundreds and hundreds of babies, non-stop. The parents take excellent care of them and will kill any other fish in the tank to protect them.

ocelot1120

so as i said before, a Jack Dempsey is probably my best bet right?

Barbrella

A Jack Dempsy would be okay with a convict, but needs at least 55 gallons.

ocelot1120

why do they supposedly need that big of a tank. especially if they only get 6-8 inches long? if its room to swim or something my tank might be ok, because the tank i bought isnt the standard kind. i think it might be a little shorter than most, but it is much wider (and maybe even alittle longer) than the average 40 gal tank.

Barbrella

Yes, 40 gals would be fine for a female JD, but you have a convict in there too, so much more room is needed.

ocelot1120

so u r saying that i can only have about 10 to 15 inches worth of fish (full grown convict is 5-6") in that huge tank

Barbrella

Inches of fish per gallon is a very rough guideline and mostly applies to small, slim bodied fish. For example, you could easily have 40 neon tetras in there, but not 4, 10-inch Oscars. Both examples come to 40 inches, but are not comparable, either in space required or bioload.

Large and/or aggressive fish need the most room you can give them. If you have two, the tank must be large enough for each to try and maintain a territory with some neutral space, so as to avoid constant attacks.

ocelot1120

ok, i see what u r saying. that makes alot of sense. thank you

ocelot1120

ok im trying out the jack dempsey. that is going alot more smoothly than the severum. he hasn't exactly picked his territory yet, but he isnt being chased nearly as much. if he doesnt find some territory soon, i'm going to try rearranging the tank. i know everyone thinks im overcrowding my tanks but i just cant stand having an enormous tank with only one fish in it. all of my other tanks so far are very relaxed and harmonious. if they fight or or anything, i will be returning the jack dempsey. trust me, i cant stand distressed fish any more than any of you.

ocelot1120

ok i managed to finally talk the manager of petsmart into taking my convict for free. i returned the JD and i think im gonna stick with barbs and sharks for a while.