Black Convict Cichlid Help

My friend and I got a family a female rainbow Cichlid and two black convicts. One of them is the daddy to the female Cichlid. None of the babies came with them.
We added them to a 55 gallon and the female and male convict are hanging tightly around each other. The other smaller convict is constantly scouring the bottom of the tank. (We don’t have sand or gravel yet) I’m sure they’re all stressed but how long will this be like this?
The two convicts hung around each other and were protecting the babies but apparently now they fight about territorial issues. The smaller convict eggs the bigger one and the other two will fight back. The smaller convict also had whiter color today so idk if he’s mad or stressed. He’s probably either stressed from the transfer or he’s submitting? Idk any tips or advice

 

I would get some black sand in there fairly quick. If their was sand in the tank the male and female would start digging a nesting hole and that would keep them busy with something to do.


Because you have a mated pair, and a hang around this is going to be trouble if you don’t have anything else in the tank to break up sight lines and provide hiding spots. Fake plants, caves, rocks. Convicts don’t believe in having a wingman or a wingwoman in the same tank as a pair. Two pairs in a 50 gallon would be better than an odd one out.

I have kept and bred convicts in the past. They are the spawn of the devil in the cichlids world. One of my favourite cichlids to keep.

 

There’s a lot of decor to breakup sight and hiding places...

 

There’s a lot of decor to breakup sight and hiding places...

it will take some time then. They are very aggressive cichlids for their size. They don’t back down on anything. They will battle cichlids a lot larger than them. The pair know know the odd one out is in the tank. They may settle down on their own. I know when a pair get preoccupied with mating and making a nest it less time they spend picking on other fish relentlessly.

you may want to try keeping the lights off in the tank if you haven’t already, and lowering the lights in the room. That sometimes helps. So does an extra feeding in the day if the tank can tolerate it until they settle down.

 

Thank you! Will pass on. It’s just weird that where we bought them which had a smaller enclosure they were protecting the babies together and now they’re fighting.

 

Thank you! Will pass on. It’s just weird that where we bought them which had a smaller enclosure they were protecting the babies together and now they’re fighting.

They will settle down. It’s a new environment. Time ?

 

They will settle down. It’s a new environment. Time ?

Haha we’ll see