Convict Cichlid, Archocentrus nigrofasciatus Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish

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This profile was written by Pandora, a knowledgeable and helpful hobbyist.

Central America

Archocentrus nigrofasciatus

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From: ming
Date:04/12/2002

Well, at the petstore, they don't seem like much, but they're the real cichlid that will fight off any fish much much bigger than them. When I just got mine, he hides and was harassed by the jack and even the firemouth picks on him. But that situation did not stayed long. right now, he have his own territory and nobody bothers him, he chases the jack and the firemouth around the tank when they want to bully him and he always won! if you have an aggressive fish that can have any tank mates, choose them, they'll survive, trust me. They're the cichlid that are small bodied but huge and interesting characteristics. They're also VERY easy to breed. But do be careful when introducing to red devils though, just watch out and wait until he gets use to the new environment! they could take care of themselves (after getting used to it of course). don't even think about buying one if you have a 5-10 gallon thought, first, it's too small even for juveniles and second if you have other fishes, they'll be dead, guaranteed!!! plus, small tanks are quite difficult to take care of, just small amount of anything could very well poison the tank because it's such a small volume!

From: Robert E.
Date:09/21/2002

About a month ago I bought a female convict fish to start of a breeding project ,a month later I bought another convict but this time a albino strain I don't know if he,s a male or female because he's, to small to be sexed , the next day I looked in the tank to see the the zebra convict chasing the smaller albino strain around the tank , tearing its fins, she eventually herded it into the back of one of the box filters .And for the next week or so all she did was chase the albino convict. After another month I saw a proven pair of adult convicts in a dealers tank , and decided to buy them but before he put them in the bag I noticed that they were guarding a piece of bogwood I told him to check the bogwood for eggs or fry, he turned the wood up to see 200-300 convict fry!. then he put them in the bag and the convict fry were gobbled up by the pencilfish ... , I returned home to release the pair. I monitored the pair for about an hour , the pair were very placid to the two smaller convicts . I went back to the tank an hour or two later to find the big male of the breeding pair chasing the others to the corner of the tank even his female! I think that the bond with the pair may have been broken... well,this Is my latest experience with these fish I hope this might of taught a lesson or two to Inexperienced convict keepers.
Update:

This is my follow up of the latest comment I placed , the albino convict was exterminated ,so was the other female , the pair was moved to a tank of there own , the pair was not broken after all , they were just stressed after the move. They shoveled gravel for about a week ,paying special attention to a rock , two more days after they had laid eggs ! I was so happy they took two days to hatch then they were free swimming in 3 days , I have since separated the fry because I fear they might eat them , because they're breeding again !

From: Mr.Zogg
Date:11/14/2002

As strange as this may sound,(and I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS!) I have kept convicts in the same 170 gallon tank with Red bellied piranha, Dempseys, and Oscars. The convicts were constantly chased by the Dempseys until they bred. During breeding, the mother will risk her own life to defend her fry. I have watched her lip lock with 5" piranha and 10" oscars (she was approx. 4" at the time) Her tenacity and aggressiveness won her 1/3rd of the tankspace and allowed close to 75% of her fry to reach 1" long before I bought a separate 55 gallon tank to place the young in. Although the Red Bellied Piranha are possibly the most docile of the piranha species, careful integrating is required before placing them into a community tank. They are spooked easily and frenzy when confused or when they experience alot of movement. If you do not have the time to integrate them, do not even attempt to keep them in a community tank.

From: Cynthia
Date:01/11/2003

I have a mated pair one pink and one black and white they have several fry right now it looks like an equal mix of babies. They are still real small about a quarter of an inch. Its been alot of fun watching them. They started out in a 55 gal tank of Africans when I noticed they had eggs I moved the pair to a 30 gal tank along with their eggs. They are real good parents. I look forward to seeing them grow up.

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