Cichlid - Pink Convict

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Alternative Name

Pink Zebra Cichlid Scientific Name: Cichasoma nigrofasciatum

Basic Info

The Pink Convict is a color variation of the Black Convict and therefore they are the same in appearance with the exception of coloration. At maturity, the Pink Convict Cichlid will reach a size of four to six inches. Their bodies will be grayish green with shades of pink and black vertical bands. Females are more colorful than males with pinkish colors and orange scales on their sides and underbelly. Males have longer fins and a bump on their head. Males will also grow faster and larger than the females. z

Health

Besides watching it for destructive behavior, the Pink Convict Cichlid is fairly easy to care for. They should be kept in slightly acidic to neutral waters, with pH levels from six and a half to eight. They will thrive in waters with a temperature range from 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. They should be given plenty of hiding places; they are generally more active this way. They also seem to do well if a small light is left on throughout the night. A 5-watt bulb should be sufficient, even for a large tank. Additionally they seem to do best in tanks with a lot of water movement. This is best achieved with additional water pumps. Extra filters do not really do the trick. The extra pumps should be turned off nightly. They should be fed vegetables, including spinach, zucchini, peas and lettuce. In addition, Pink Convict Cichlids should be fed live foods, including small live fish, bloodworms, glass worms, brine shrimp and tubifex worms. Frozen, freeze dried and tablet foods will also be accepted. As treats you can feed 1 mussel a month per fish. They should not be given more than that, however, as they can get fat. Breeding Pink Convict Cichlids will breed often. Some reports have said they breed as often as every two weeks. It has been reported that Pink Convicts reach sexual maturity quite early, and will start breeding when they are only an inch long! During spawning, females will grow an egg depositor near the anal fin. The Pink Convict Cichlid will lay their eggs in a dark hidden place and will care for the eggs and fry. However, Pink Convict Cichlids become extremely aggressive during spawning and other fish should be removed from the tank. Also, the female and male might need to be separated after the eggs are laid, due to fighting - though this is not always the case. It has been reported that adults will eat the fry after hatching, so it is important to keep them in another tank. But sometimes they only appear to be eating the fry. Both the mother and father will pick the fry up with their mouths to move them. If you decide to leave the fry with the adults, it is important to remove the fry after they have been free swimming for 3 to 6 days and put them in a separate tank or they will be eaten. The new tank should have the same water as the old tank and also place some of the rocks and other decorations from the original tank. They can be fed flake food that is crushed into a powder. They can be kept together for 1 year and then they should be moved into a less crowded tank.

Habitat

Fresh water fish

Behavior

The Pink Convict Cichlid, also known as the Pink Convict Cichlid makes a great addition to large fish tanks. They are a colorful addition to any cichlid tank. However, Pink Convict Cichlids are widely considered the street brawlers of the cichlid world and care must be taken when placing them with other fish. While beautiful, the Pink Convict Cichlid is a violent fish. The have been described by some as homicidal maniacs and rightly so. These fish are aggressive to just about every other fish, including its own species. If they are kept in a large tank with other large aggressive fish that can fend for themselves, they won't be too much of a bother. It is difficult to say which particular fish the Pink Convict Cichlid will be able to live with; it is more like a try and see situation. It has been reported that they can be kept with Labichromis 'yellow', and that they tend to be less aggressive when placed with this particular fish. They have also been reported to do well with Oscars, Firemouth Cichlids and Green Terrors, though not ones that are smaller than the Pink Cichlid. If you do put them in a tank with other fish, keep an eye on them. If they are beating up the other fish, you should probably separate them. It has been reported that the Pink Convict is more aggressive to slow moving fish, and this should be kept in mind before choosing tank-mates. If you keep a single pair the fish may get bored, this is especially of the male. If this happens he will hunt the female making her far less likely to have eggs and raise them. Pink Convict Cichlids should be kept in large tanks with plenty of hiding places. This includes moderate rock and plant decoration.

Origin

South America

History

The Pink Convict Cichlid, or Cichasoma nigrofasciatum, is originally from the Central American countries of Panama, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica.

Common Foods

The Pink Convict Cichlid will most likely eat live plants.