Fish of the Month!

The Convict Cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) is a South American cichlid found in the rivers and streams in the southern edge of Central America near Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, but have also been observed in well planted lakes. The Convict is characterized by its dark gray to pinkish color and dark vertical stripes that resemble prison or convict uniforms. Hardy and robust, the convict is an excellent fish to keep as long as they are provided with at least a 30 gallon aquarium.

Convict cichlids are incredibly easy to breed but providing the cichlids with larger aquarium (closer to 55g) is imperative to assure a happy and healthy brood. There are no specific rules for breeding convicts, if you have a male and female it is all but inevitable to achieve success. The female will plant her eggs on the smooth edge of a cave wall or slate rock and after fertilization the eggs hatch within three days. Keeping the brood alive, however, might require a bit more work. At this point the parents will protect the young from any predators or curious tank mates. Once the fry have achieved a larger size it may become apparent that the aquarium size is no longer sufficient to house the increasing population of cichlids. At this point we suggest finding them a new home. Turning in fish to Centreville Aquarium will provide you with the knowledge that we will find a new home for your fish and you will also recieve a 20% off coupon to use on livestock.

Convict cichlids do best on just about any type of food, but thrive when given a variety such as high quality cichlid pellet, live or frozen brine shrimp and blood worms. The Convict is an easy fish to keep but be mindful on what other additions you make to the aquarium The Convict is rather aggressive – Especially when breeding. Keep this in mind and you’re sure to enjoy your newly paroled convict.