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Convict Cichlid

Zebra Cichlid ~ Pink Convict ~ White Convict Cichlid

Family: CichlidaeArchocentrus nigrofasciatusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   One of the most popular cichlids, the Convict Cichlid has great coloring and is cheap too!

   The Convict Cichlid, also known as the Zebra Cichlid or Pink Convict, is a hardy fish with a pugnacious attitude. Though the males are larger, the females are the most colorful. Their spunky behavior is really interesting to behold, they will take on a fish 3 times their size. They are great in a tank with other aggressive fish, just make sure the other fish are not so big that they can swallow your Convict Cichlid whole.

   These are an undemanding fish and very easy to care for. A sandy substrate with rocks, roots, and pieces of driftwood will make your Convict Cichlid feel at home. They will also enjoy plants, expecially floating plants to help subdue the light. They will re-arrange your tank however, so keep that in mind if you are going to have plants, make sure they are anchored down. They like a warm tank and can tolerant a wide range of pH, pretty much anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, though it needs to be kept reasonably consistent.

   One of their dominant characteristics is that they are one of the easiest fish to breed, with no help from the aquarist. Do to the extreme ease in breeding, these guys have been called the 'rabbits of the fish world'. They have the reputation of "spawning in the bag on the way home from the fish store". Sure that is a bit of a stretch, but not far from reality. Though they are aggressive, all-in-all they are great for the beginning cichlid aquarist, especially if you want to breed.  

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:    The Convict Cichlid, also called the Pink Convict or Zebra Cichlid, was described by Günther in 1867. They are found in Central America on the Pacific slope from Costa Rica to Guatemala and on the Atlantic slope from Honduras to Panama. The rivers they inhabit are the Tarcoles, Aguan River, and Guarumo River. They like waters that are flowing from smaller streams to larger fast flowing rivers. There they dwell among the shallow rocky areas where they hide in cracks and crevices, feeding on worms, insects, fish, crustaceans and plants. They can also be found in the warm pools of springs.

Status:    This species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:    The Convict Cichlid has a blue-gray, cream, or blue-lavendar base on the body with 8 to 9 dark bands that run vertically. They have a break in the vertical bands in the area behind their head, almost forming a "U" shape. The fins are clearish to light yellow. With in-line breeding there are now several color varieties, and some of the cream and "pink" varieties lack the vertical bars.

   All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming.

Pink Convict behind a rock Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets. To sense "smells" in the water, they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being "sampled" for a short or longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to "smell" the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.

Size - Weight:    Male Convict Cichlids grow to a length of 5 - 6" (13 -15 cm), with females reaching 3 - 4" (8 -10 cm).

Care and feeding:    The Convict Cichlid is an omnivore that can be fed any foods for omnivorous cichlids, vegetable based foods with spirulina, blanched lettuce or other veggies, beef heart and worms. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
   A pair can be put in a 20 gallon tank, but it is not suggested that they be in a tank that small once they become full grown. A full grown pair will survive and get along in a 50 gallon tank much better. They do fine with good water movement and efficient filtration. They like a warm tank and can tolerant a wide range of pH, pretty much anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, though it needs to be kept reasonably consistent.
   The Convict Cichlid is a rewarding specimen for the aquarist as it is easy to keep. Provide a sandy substrate with rocks, roots, and pieces of driftwood. They also enjoy plants, especially floating plants to help subdue the light. They will re-arrange the aquarium so make sure substrate plants are anchored down. Normal aquarium lighting works fine if there are floating plants, and low to moderate lighting if no plants. Do water changes of 15-20% every 2 weeks to a month, depending on stocking numbers.
   They are subject to infections as well as other diseases that ail all freshwater fish. One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F (30° C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several copper based fish medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be kept within the proper levels, so be sure to follow the manufacturers suggestions. A copper test also can be used to keep the proper levels. You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich medication treatment. Intestinal disease can be treated with metronidazol.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:    These fish will swim in the middle and bottom areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:   They like a warm tank and can tolerant a wide range of pH, pretty much anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0, though it needs to be kept reasonably consistent.
   Hardness: 7 - 9° dH (they prefer soft to mildly hard water)
   Ph: 6.0 - 8.0
   Temp: 74 -82° F (23 - 28° C)

Social Behaviors:    The Convict Cichlid is an aggressive cichlid that can only be kept with larger fish that have the same temperament. The Blue Acara, Rainbow Cichlid, Jack Dempsey, and Green Terror are the type of fish they won't terrorize to death. Do not house with fish that are only just semi-aggressive or fish large enough to swallow them whole. Once they are mating they will kill anything in the tank if they can. They have been known to beat up large plecostomus and Oscars 3 times larger than themselves!
   This fish can be kept alone, resulting in a slightly skittish and more mellow fish, or as a male and female pair. They are generally aggressive toward those of the same species especially when mating.

Sexual Differences:    Males are larger, but not as brilliant in color as the females. They develop longer, pointed anal and dorsal fins as they get older like most male cichlids. The females have orange in their belly and dorsal fins.

Breeding/Reproduction:    The Convict Cichlids are cave spawners. They will readily bred in captivity and are one of the best cichlid parents around. One author's very descriptive remark is that to breed them you "just add fish and water". A group of juveniles will result in a pair being formed, leaving the remaining fish cowering in the corner if the tank is small.
   The pair will shake their heads at each other in a little pre-spawning dance. The male will position himself vertically and change to darker, more vivid shades of color. The female will do the same dance and flare up. They will then clean an area, then dig a depression in the substrate around a rock, flower pot, or cave. The female will lay about 20-40 eggs on the inside top of the cave or flowerpot and the male will follow her up and fertilize them. This will continue until there are 100-300 eggs, depending on the maturity of the female. She will fan the eggs while dad keeps an eye on the nest.
   Depending on temperature and pH, the young hatch in about 48 to 72 hours. Within another 6-8 days they are free swimming and can be fed powdered (crushed) flake, daphnia, baby brine shrimp, and /or pellet food for omnivorous cichlids. They may be moved up to flake at about 3 weeks. The female helps out by stirring up the sand with her belly to expose food that has settled at the bottom, or by chewing up food that is too large and spitting it into the water for the young to eat. The parents also have a mucus like secretion that is a supplementary "food" on their bodies that the fry will eat.
   The parents defend their babies at all cost and will push tank mates to the other side of the tank. If they feel their young are threatened, then they will actually bury them in the sand. They will retrieve any fry that stray from the nest and the male will viciously guard them to the death.
   You can remove them after a few weeks if you plan to raise them, allowing the breeding process to start again. If you do not remove them the female sometimes will eat the young. This will result in the male attacking the female to the point where you may have to remove her or put in a divider. The young are ready to breed within a year. See more about cichlid breeding in: Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:    The Convict Cichlid, also called the Pink Convict or Zebra Cichlid, is readily available both in fish stores and online. They range from about $2.00 to $5.00 USD, depending on size.

Author: Carrie McBirney
Additional Information: Clarice Brough, CFS

Lastest Comments on Convict Cichlid View all 30 comments on Convict Cichlid Add Your Comment

Cypher - 2010-12-03 I recently purchased 4 convicts from my local pet store and brought them home and put them in my tank with my Jack Dempsey, Green Terror, Tiger Oscars, Bala Sharks, Pleco, Dinofish, and eels and after a few weeks I noticed a cloud around a pair of the convicts. Upon closer inspection I noticed a lot of small fry. Now the parents claimed the middle of the tank as their territory and they have driven everything out around that area. Which is funny to me since the Convicts are the smallest fish in the tank. Community Disorganizer - 2011-05-13 Yea, convicts have an excellent sense of parenting skills. They will fight any fish to the death if they get near their nest. I've seen a pair hold off a few piranhas already! Samuel - 2011-07-08 Be carefull, because they could kill your other fish if they where smaller. So if the Convicts grow they could or more likey would kill your other fish to protect their young. joel - 2012-04-22 Convicts are of the more aggressive cichlids despite size, breeding or not, and they will breed often. Watch that they don't pick on slower less aggressive like the oscar for example. Edward - 2012-05-07 I bought a pair of convicts too and separated them into two tanks. The adult male happily co-exists with clown loaches and mollies. Maybe I have a really tame convict but splitting them up turns them docile. tom - 2012-05-12 i have bout 15 cichlids in my 5 foot tank and I had a 8 inch silver shark the silver shark lasted 4 hours b4 he was nearly dead so I had to put him in my 3 foot tank with my baby cichlids till I can rehome him but the only fish that is ok with mine is a large pleco bout 11 inches long Reply

DTemp - 2012-01-07 I have 7 cichlids in a 20 gallon tank. I got them as babies, but they are now about 2-3 inches long. The tank is not staying clean for more than a week and they are eating all their food within minutes. Do I need to upgrade them to a larger tank? Also, they hide a lot and are mainly at the bottom of the tank... I am new with this breed of fish... Is this typical? Thanks. Any input will help :) Jeremy Roche - 2012-02-14 You will find with that many fish at 2-3 inches you will want to go up to a 55 gallon long tank. Once you add the ground cover and decorations you end up with much less then 20 gallons. Try to stay with the inch a fish a gallon rule. How long has the tank been established? Collecting Clownfish - 2012-02-14 Breeding fish can be fun and satisfying, so I can see your desire to do so! lol Convict Cichlids, like most larger cichlids live in harems. With these fish, you can get away with one or two females per male, which may be okay in a 20 gallon if you cannot afford another tank. The other thing is, cichlids rule of thumb is 1 per 10 gallons, so again, find a male and female and take the others to the pet store, and see if they will take them or give you store credit for fish food or something. Cloudy water tells me your bacteria level cannot keep up with your 7 fish in a 20 gallon. Getting lace rock, where lots of bacteria can adhere to and multiply will help tremendously with the cloudy water. Feeding live foods, which you didn't mention if you did, is not the best idea with cichlids as it makes them more aggressive and polluted the water.... sort of a side point. If you want to keep more than 2 or 3, I would buy a 55 gallon.... get one on craigslist, they are pretty cheap, and make two areas (one on each end) that defines space, and then you may keep 2 males and 2 to 3 females. Getting a good canister filter will also help with water quality. ENJOY!!!! mat everill - 2012-02-20 Hey the guy saying 1 per ten gallon must be rich or some thing. 1 per 1 gallon is right and the cloudy water - some options plant light for the algae to grow so the bacteira will grow or a 10% water change. Increase or feed your fish a little less or take out uneaten food or a better filter. Have any small fountains? Take out the motor. Not hard at all. Put mesh over it - stick in tank. That works good cleaning filter works good or put mesh in the filter. Hope I helped Anonymous - 2012-03-14 Convicts when mating are tough against other fish in the tank. Janne - 2012-05-08 Those 3 gallon tanks are suicide for most fish except the Betta. Your angelfish is either dying, cramped, or will need a new home soon. May I recommend 20 gal extra high? Once you get your new tank I would reccomend Discus. Was this answer helpful? Reply

Tristan - 2012-02-12 I bought 2 convict cichlids 2 weeks ago and I don't know how to tell male and female but they are not fighting. They are with 2 green terros and a pair of rainbow cichlids in a 3ft tank which have been living in that tank for 2 years. Would my convict cichlids cause any problems in the tank? Tristan - 2012-02-16 But they are not aggresive to each other. Both the convivts are being aggresive to the other tank occupants. Tristan - 2012-02-15 But I am having difficulty sexing them because they both are quite big and both seem to have pointed tips. But both have no yellow or orange colour on their bellys. Jeremy Roche - 2012-02-15 Tristan- How old are the Convicts? Normally it takes 5 to 6 months for the orange to show up on the belly. If they are yet that old maybe wait a month or two to see if the color shows up. If it does not I would get two females. In the meantime if they start getting aggressive it helps to rearrange to rearrange their tank often to keep them busy building their territory. Alex Burleson - 2012-02-13 Convicts, if they become a mated pair, could pose issues to the aquarium. However, in my personal experience, I have kept Rainbow Cichlids with Convict Cichlids even as a breeding pair, and I find that as long as the Convict Cichlids have ample room, then everything will be balanced. Jeremy Roche - 2012-02-14 Normally the females will have a fatter belly with some orange to the belly. joel - 2012-04-22 Male convicts also begin to have a bigger bulky forehead, with not as 'bright' coloring. Hope that helps. Reply

Tiara - 2012-04-15 I'm interested in breeding a pair of covicts. I have a 6-inch male,1.5-inch male and 1.5-inch female. My female is read to breed and she keeps following the 6-inch male ,would the big male convict kill her and how long will it take for them to pair? Jeremy Roche - 2012-04-15 The two should be fine. How old is the female? May not be sexually matured yet. Tiara - 2012-04-15 The female is about 8 months and is sexaully mature Reply

Kristy - 2012-04-04 I am looking for a source of several hundred cichlids. They will be research animals, not pets. I am doing a study looking at male mate choice and fecundity based on selection of female in relation to the size of her orange 'patch'. The animals will not be required all at once (actually it is preferable that they are not all at once) but we will need about 50 at a time. We need fish which are greater than 1 inch in length and about twice the number of females to males. If anyone has any suggestions! Jeremy Roche - 2012-04-05 Local pet store a great source and they can order as needed. May even be willing to sponser if you can make it worth their wild! Reply

thefishkeeper556 - 2012-01-29 i am looking for ANY exotic fresh water fish that anyonr is selling .. call me at 270 734 0247 . thank you to all who reply Reply

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