Convict cichlid care
Amatitlania nigrofasciata · Central America
Convict cichlids are striped, hardy and famous for breeding in almost any tank, then guarding the fry fiercely.
- Tank size
- 29 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 4.7 in
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 6 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 8 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 29 gallon
30¼ × 12½ × 18¾ in outsideHow to keep convict cichlids
Convict cichlids are striped, hardy and famous for breeding in almost any tank, then guarding the fry fiercely. A pair needs a 29 gallon or larger tank with caves, and tankmates that can hold their own.
Diet: Omnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen foods, vegetables. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Convict cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Every likely tankmate in our list comes with a caution for convict cichlids. These can share a large tank if you watch them closely:
Blind cave tetra: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with blind cave tetras.
Amazon puffer: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with Amazon puffers.
African butterflyfish: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with African butterflyfish.
Rusty cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with rusty cichlids.
Golden wonder killifish: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with golden wonder killifish.
Butterfly goodeid: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with butterfly goodeids.
Salvini cichlid: Convict cichlids and Salvini cichlids are both aggressive and may fight.
Three-spot (blue) gourami: Convict cichlids are aggressive and may fight with three-spot (blue) gouramis.
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as neon tetras.
Cardinal tetra: Adult convict cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as black neon tetras.
Green neon tetra: Adult convict cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult convict cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as glowlight tetras.
What a convict cichlid tank needs
A tank of 29 US gallons or more (such as the 29 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon convict cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon convict cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Pro 100W
Convict cichlids need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding convict cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 29 gallon tank · Heaters for a 29 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common convict cichlid problems
- A breeding pair attacks every other fish; plan for a species tank or a large tank.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Amatitlania nigrofasciata. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blind cave tetra James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amazon puffer O. Schneider, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African butterflyfish Toniher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rusty cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Golden wonder killifish Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Butterfly goodeid Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salvini cichlid Banteo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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