# Convict Cichlids, As Feeders?



## Joe.G

I keep hearing on here that people feed there P's convict cichlids, Are they easy to breed? If I set up a 30 Gal tank Could I toss a few in there and they would start to reproduce? Do they breed quickly and how big and fast do they grow?


----------



## BRUNER247

Overrated imo. Depends on size of fish, but usually don't have that big of spawns & grow too slow. Too much time & effort for what you'll end up with. Imo Get ya 2-3 3" Molly females & a male for the 30gal.


----------



## Joe.G

I heard mollys breed fast also, so I just get a few of them and toss them in the tank and they should start to go about there breeding? DO they breed and grow fast?


----------



## BRUNER247

Mine have babies roughly every month & about 100 babies each time. Sometimes more, sometimes lil less. They come out eating crushed flakes & grow quickly. They'd be fine for baby & juvinile piranha but only be a snack for grown piranha & probably not worth the time. If your wanting food for adults I think tilapia would be a better choice than convicts.


----------



## dr7leaf

i would like to see if i can make a habitable area in the center of my 29 for a breeding pair of smaller convicts. they would also act as garbage cleanup... ive been considering piling up more rocks and driftwood on top of what i got already, and make a type of cavern for them to seek refuge. ive had breeding convicts before and its almost effortless. im just not sure of the cohab in such a small tank. my wishlist is a 40 gallon breeder.


----------



## Joe.G

I am going to try and keep this group on dead food this time. My last guys ate only live and nothing else, I had to keep a tank and just keep filling it with feeders. If I kept another tank again Id like to at least have it be a breeding tank.


----------



## Parsa

i like convicts, but yea they do grow slow, all fish do


----------



## ruger345

dr7leaf said:


> I am going to try and keep this group on dead food this time. My last guys ate only live and nothing else, I had to keep a tank and just keep filling it with feeders. If I kept another tank again Id like to at least have it be a breeding tank.


Feeding live food is the worst thing you can do.


----------



## SERRAPYGO

Guys, keep in mind convicts and most other south and Central American cichlids are enemy #1 to piranhas by nature. Piranhas don't like them (and likewise), and they don't want them in their space. What might look like "feeding" on covicts, is probably more of a nervous defensive preemptive strike. Convicts especially, are tough ass little pitbulls that can turn the tables even if they are much smaller.

The only way I'd go forth with this is if it was a schoal of big pygos or the biggest of a lone serrasalmus in a huge tank.


----------



## Joe.G

Convicts are that nasty? Ill have to you tube them.


----------



## bricklr

Joe.G said:


> Convicts are that nasty? Ill have to you tube them.


I have a couple breeding convicts in with my Golds. They defend the little rock they have their eggs on. The P's just stay away from it. They are never bullied by them. Less aggression twords each other with those little guys in there.


----------



## bricklr

bricklr said:


> Convicts are that nasty? Ill have to you tube them.


I have a couple breeding convicts in with my Golds. They defend the little rock they have their eggs on. The P's just stay away from it. They are never bullied by them. Less aggression twords each other with those little guys in there.








[/quote]

Their too fast for most of my P's. They were originally given to me as feeders. Rhoms and Sanch are the only ones to catch theirs. The ones I fed to the Golds made themselves a nice little home.


----------



## SERRAPYGO

Joe.G said:


> Convicts are that nasty? Ill have to you tube them.


Yes they are.


----------



## SERRAPYGO

bricklr said:


> Convicts are that nasty? Ill have to you tube them.


I have a couple breeding convicts in with my Golds. They defend the little rock they have their eggs on. The P's just stay away from it. They are never bullied by them. Less aggression twords each other with those little guys in there.








[/quote]

Their too fast for most of my P's. They were originally given to me as feeders. Rhoms and Sanch are the only ones to catch theirs. The ones I fed to the Golds made themselves a nice little home.








[/quote]
No cichlid is "too fast" for any piranha. If there's one thing piranhas have over cichlids it's speed! If the piranhas aren't eating them it's because they choose not to. Probably out of intimidation, though.


----------



## Gerrad

I had a mating pair of convict's in the past. They had one batch of fry. But, the fry group became smaller and smaller each day. I think the other convict's I had in the tank, were alittle jealous, lol. I was thinking about using con's for live food, but if it takes to long and yield's to little? Then I might try the molly way, like someone suggested? 
Any specific type of mollies to use? (ex. all white, salt and pepper looking one's) Don't matter?


----------



## dr7leaf

ruger345 said:


> i would like to see if i can make a habitable area in the center of my 29 for a breeding pair of smaller convicts. they would also act as garbage cleanup... ive been considering piling up more rocks and driftwood on top of what i got already, and make a type of cavern for them to seek refuge. ive had breeding convicts before and its almost effortless. im just not sure of the cohab in such a small tank. my wishlist is a 40 gallon breeder.


The Convicts will keep your fish side ways in the top corner of your tank. Everyone is tough until they get punched in the face.

[/quote]

very unlikely... getting punched in the face is nothing compared to losing your face!!!! lol... my MAC will devour them before he plays "bitch" in his own house!!!


----------



## brentnels6

I tried putting 3 convicts in with my 6 caribe and today the last one disappeared. A couple of nights ago i saw one of my ps take the face off of a 3 in convict


----------



## Reed

I recently setup a convict breeding station in my 36 gal bowfront. Initially I had 6 convicts (4 females 2 males) and 4 paired off while the two other females were always being chased around. After 2 weeks they had still not laid eggs so I removed the two unpaired females and literally the next day at least 100 eggs were laid by the one pair. Eggs started wiggling next day and are already free swimming. I am going to use the fry for my 2 GATF and barracuda. Id recommend convicts as they are so simple to breed, lay large quantities of eggs, and they take care of their young so less work.
Reed


----------

