CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

hey im thinkin about breeding some convicts. Is their any real way to tell apart a male and a female? also what color gravel should i have in the tank. what size tank would be best. and anything else that u think i should know.
thanks

Females have pink bellies.

but do they have that when they are small?

Convicts do not always show the orange to pink bellies when small. We have 3 female convicts and only 2 have the color in their bellies. Install a small terracotta pot placed on it's side for the convicts to use as a nest. Gravel color does not matter. Do not expect success on the first attempts. Do not have any other fish in the tank either.

ok thanks what is the smallest tank u think i could use?
or does that really matter?

I would not go smaller than a 20 gallon to give a brood space to grow out. Note after a few weeks the parents should be transfered to another tank. Also once a pair are mated, convicts breed like rabbits. Good Luck!