Pair of Convicts

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Pair of Convicts

Postby bakanamatt on Sat Nov 11, 2006 1:18 pm

I have a mating pair of convicts in a 29 gallon tank.  I've had them about 11 months now and they seem to have stopped growing.  The male is around 2 1/2 inches and the female is about 2.  I was under the impression that they grew to about 6 inches.  When I got them they were about an inch. 
I've been feeding them the smallest cichlid pellets I can find, Hikari Cichlid staple.  I feed them twice a day and sometimes throw in some small ghost shrimp for them to eat.
Are they going to need a more varied diet to grow larger?
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby DanRad on Sat Nov 11, 2006 5:46 pm

Hi, bakanamatt, and welcome to the forum!  Yes, that does seem to be a slow rate of growth.  Couple of questions:  What other fish are in that 29 along with them?  Have you checked your water parameters?  What are ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels?  What is your normal water temp?  What sort of filtration are you using?  When you feed them, do they eat well?  A lot of questions, I know -- just trying to cover the basics.
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby Barb Okla on Sat Nov 11, 2006 7:15 pm

Not much you can do now, they seem to be stunted.. Keep the tank/filter cleaner and enjoy them anyway.. I have a stunted midas that is only like 4" so he/she won't get much bigger.. the others keep IT from eating when young.. so she/he is stunted in her growth.. but IT is cute all the same..  ;D
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby bakanamatt on Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:59 pm

Well, to answer a few questions I have had upto 4 ofther convicts in the tank with them at one point.  When I got them they were fairly young and I wanted to be sure to get a good pair so I bought several.  In the tank with them now are a plecostomas and a synodontis lace cat.
My amonia and nitrates and nitrites are all pretty normal and I preform regular water changes, 5-6 gallons every couple of weeks.  I've been keeping my water around 80 to promote breeding (atleast thats what I've heard to do anyway) and my filter is an aquatech 30-60 power filter.  I should probably get a bio wheel of some sort.
When I feed them they seem kind of skidish.  They dart up to the top of the tank and grab a pellet and dart back to the bottom.  They normaly don't finish all of the food, 2-3 pellets each.
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby Barb Okla on Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:30 pm

well now, it seems you need to do MORE FREQUENT water changes/tank cleaning on this tank than every couple of weeks. this is not GOOD!! YOU should do WEEKLY tank cleaning or at least NOT longer than 10 days apart to insure good health.. I do 5 gal out/and back in on my 29 gal..  Clean your filter BOX out too!! Not just change the filter media pad.. ON feeding, this is normal for them to do.. Mine did this too when I had so many..

"Pretty good" on your AMMONIA, NITRITES, AND NITRATES?? What is pretty good??    :dontknow:

YOUR Ammonia, Nitrites should be at 0ppm.. NO reading what so ever should you have of these two in this tank ..
NITRATES however, wil always be present.. but keep them under 20ppm.. YOUR weekly gravel/filter cleaning,  water changes should do this for you automaticly..

IF you have had the first two show a reading, then you need to really start cleaning this tank alot more often and more throughly..    :idea1:
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby jynksiekat on Sun Dec 31, 2006 11:27 pm

Are they pink convicts? If they are or were passed off as they sound to be dwarf jellybean convicts. I have two pairs and they top out at 2-3 inches. I have pics if you would like to see them and compare.
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby lisafosc on Sun Jan 14, 2007 5:06 pm

I'd like to see ur dwarf jelly bean's I have a pair of juv white cons, would be good to compare them  tmbsup
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Re: Pair of Convicts

Postby lilrayray15 on Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:41 am

when the convicts start breeding,is the pleco going to make it? Or anything else? I know the male needs something to take his aggression out on besides the female, what have most of you done? :occasion14:
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