How to properly feed Black Convict Cichlid and provide a healthy diet. The Black Convict is an omnivore and should be fed a variety of foods, such as frozen or freeze-dried brine shrimp, bloodworms, blackworms, krill, flake food, and Cichlid pellets.
Full Answer
What is the best food for convict cichlids?
Infusoria is also a great, healthy food for the fry to snack on. When the fry are young, it’s important that you feed them frequently. At least 3 times a day will be enough. Our favorite fry food for Convict Cichlids and most other freshwater fish is the Ocean Nutrition Instant Baby Brine.
What should I Feed my convicts?
In the home aquarium, they will greedily eat nearly anything offered to them. But a healthy diet should be made up of a high quality fish food, with occasional frozen foods added for treats. I prefer to feed my convicts Hikari Cichlid Gold Floating Pellets and have had great success with this high quality food.
What do baby blackbirds eat?
Baby blackbirds eat what foods their parents bring them, which are almost exclusively soft invertebrates, insects and arthropods. While blackbirds are omnivores, young birds are unable to digest most seeds and berries until they fledge. Insects provide the high-fat, high-energy diet the young birds need to grow.
How often should I Feed my convict cichlids?
When the fry are young, it’s important that you feed them frequently. At least 3 times a day will be enough. Our favorite fry food for Convict Cichlids and most other freshwater fish is the Ocean Nutrition Instant Baby Brine. It’s not the cheapest fry food on the market, but it’s definitely one of the best.
What do baby convict eat?
Once the eggs are hatched (usually around 3 – 5 days), you can begin feeding them some small brine shrimp or a crushed up fry food. Infusoria is also a great, healthy food for the fry to snack on. When the fry are young, it's important that you feed them frequently. At least 3 times a day will be enough.
How do you take care of a convict baby?
Few things that needs to be followed for at least 4 to 6 weeks caring for the Convict Cichlid Fry is keep them in a appropriate sized Tank, with sponge filter, follow 25% water change every 3 days, feed 3 times a day. Temperature range between 78 to 82 degree Fahrenheit helps with growth rate.
What to do when convict cichlids have babies?
This is when they need to feed. They can be fed finely ground flake food, but best is newly hatched brine shrimp. Once the babies are swimming and eating on their own, remove the parents and let the babies grow. The parents can be placed into another aquarium, where they will commence spawning again.
Do convict cichlids feed their babies?
Don't be alarmed by this! (As a note, your Convict Cichlid pair may eat their babies the first few spawns. They are new parents and are still trying to figure everything out, this is normal.)
What can I feed my convict fish?
The ideal diet for convict cichlids is a mix of pellets or flakes with live food options as well. This will ensure that they get the necessary variety and nutritional intake to stay healthy. Our two favorite live foods to give them are brine shrimp and bloodworms.
How do you keep baby cichlids alive?
0:5210:25How to care for African Cichlid Fry - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo the first thing you want to be looking into is the filtration filtration is always a highMoreSo the first thing you want to be looking into is the filtration filtration is always a high priority for any african cichlid let alone the fry.
How many babies do convict cichlid have?
After 4 days you can expect the eggs to hatch and you will get around 30 little Convicts!
Do black convict cichlids eat their fry?
no the parents will not eat their fry, I have a breeding pair of convict cichlids who have 2 batches of babies in the same tank, the babies are about a month to 2 months apart in age and from 2 different mothers same father. I have had to give away a good majority of the babies just to lower the number in the tank.
How fast do cichlid fry grow?
They will grow about 4 inches in the first year or so of life and not reach full size until about 5 years old.
When should I remove convict fry?
If you are able to determine that your cichlids do not typically care for their young it is best to remove the adults from the tank as soon as spawning is complete. When your cichlid fry are first hatched they will not require much space - they will simply need a safe environment in which to spend their first days.
How often do convict fish have babies?
Brood care of eggs, larvae and free-swimming juveniles in the wild can last 4 to 6 weeks, and occurs only once per season for the majority of females.
Do cichlids protect their babies?
African cichlids, which are maternal mouthbrooders, are an example of fish that continue to protect their young even after the eggs have hatched. Female African cichlids hold eggs in their mouths for 21 to 36 days. During this time, the female does not eat, leaving no opportunity for an egg to escape.
How long does it take for Convict Cichlid eggs to hatch?
approximately 72 hoursLike most cichlids, such as Oreochromis mossambicus, convicts brood (exhibit parental care of) both eggs and free-swimming fry. The eggs hatch approximately 72 hours after fertilization.
How do you keep convict cichlids from breeding?
2:504:00How to stop your Convict cichlid from breeding/ spawning - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThen another thing you could do you could remove. All hiding places from the aquarium that will haveMoreThen another thing you could do you could remove. All hiding places from the aquarium that will have them hide and breathe they like to lay their eggs in privacy.
How long do cichlids stay pregnant?
The eggs will hatch between 10-15 days after fertilization. The female then hold the babies in her mouth for up to two more weeks, occasionally letting them out to feed them.
What do convict cichlids eat?
In the wild, convict cichlids primarily feed on small insects, worms, plant matter and algae. In the home aquarium, they will greedily eat nearly anything offered to them. But a healthy diet should be made up of a high quality fish food, with occasional frozen foods added for treats.
What is the easiest fish to breed in a tropical aquarium?
Breeding. Convict cichlids are among the easiest tropical aquarium fish to breed.
How long does it take for a convict cichlid to hatch?
The fry will begin to hatch in a few days, and after about a week, the convict cichlid parents will begin to herd the tiny fry around the tank.
How long does it take for a convict cichlid fry to hatch?
It’s rare to lose a live Convict Cichlid fry. Once the eggs are hatched (usually around 3 – 5 days), you can begin feeding them some small brine shrimp or a crushed up fry food. Infusoria is also a great, healthy food for the fry to snack on. When the fry are young, it’s important that you feed them frequently.
How big of a tank do you need for a convict cichlid?
The minimum tank size we would recommend for Convict Cichlids is around 25 gallons. If you have never kept a Cichlid fish before, then this is the species we would recommend to you. In their natural habitat, the Convict Cichlid can be found in streams and rivers across the entire length and breadth of Central America.
How many convict cichlids can you breed?
These fish are incredibly easy to breed, and they breed very often, so if you are ready to start breeding them, expect a batch of at least 20 – 30 little convicts within the space of a few weeks. ...
Do you need plants for a cichlid tank?
Plants are not necessary, but some strong plants such as Java Fern or Amazon Swords can be a good addition to your tank. It’s worth noting however, that Convict Cichlids are notorious for rearranging the tank to a layout which suits them, so don’t expect your plants to stay neat and tidy for long.
Do convict cichlids eat fish?
Convict Cichlids are far from fussy eaters. They will eat pretty much anything you throw in the tank, but obviously, the goal is to raise your fish as healthy as possible, so here are our recommendations for the optimal Convict Cichlid Diet.
What substrate do cichlids like?
Convict cichlids do best with a sandy substrate. This is because these fish will periodically do a bit of digging and rooting around, and a coarse substrate will end up scratching them. Author Note: This behavior isn’t constant by any means. These fish usually spend most of their time near the middle of the tank.
Can you put a male and female cichlid in a community tank?
The more you add, the higher the chance for territorial and aggression. Also, don’t put a male and female in a community tank! This will ramp up the aggression and territorial behavior significantly and surely lead to someone getting hurt.
Is a convict cichlid an omnivore?
Convict cichlids are omnivores and aren’t picky when it comes to finding food! An interesting note is that this species can be found in Australia as well. This is not a natural occurrence and is only sustainable due to the similar conditions that certain parts of the country offer.
Species Summary
Appearance
Size
- The average convict cichlid size is around 4-5 inches when fully grown.These fish are rather small compared to other cichlid species. The advantage of this is it means you can keep them in smaller tanks than other species as well. Convict cichlids have a fairly normal growth rate, so there are no special accommodations you’ll need to make in that department. It’s worth noting t…
Convict Cichlid Care
- Proper convict cichlid care requires you to have an understanding of the behavior and temperament of these fish. When it comes to their recommended tank and water requirements, these fish aren’t that challenging. However, things get a bit trickier when you start thinking about planning how they’ll get along with other fish. The next couple of sections will cover the basics o…
Food & Diet
- It’s important to have a strong understanding of their diet if you want them to live as long as possible. In the wild convict cichlids are omnivores and eat a mix of insects and plant matter to get nutrition. Because these fish are the opposite of picky eaters, beginners assume you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to their diet. We view it a...
Behavior & Temperament
- Understanding the aggressive tendencies of the convict cichlid is essential if you want to provide them with good care. These fish fit right in with a lot of their cichlid relatives and are quite territorial and feisty. However, this isn’t something to be worried about as long as you put them in the right environment. Giving these fish enough space and pairing them with the right tank mate…
Convict Cichlid Tank Mates
- Despite their potential to be aggressive freshwater fish, you do have some options when it comes to convict cichlid tank mates. However, it’s important to mention that this isn’t the safest possible option you can take. If you’re someone who doesn’t want even the slightest possibility of a fight or aggressive behavior in your aquarium, keep them alone. Community tanks do come with some e…
Breeding
- Breeding convict cichlids is a breeze. They might be one of the easiest freshwater fishes to breed in a home tank! The most important thing you can do is make sure their habitat is conducive to the breeding process. This means providing them with enough space (50-60 gallons ideally) and including some rocks and even a cave for the female to lay her eggs. Once you have the general …
Conclusion
- Convict cichlid care is not as hard as it seems. Once you understand their territorial and aggressive tendencies it actually becomes rather easy! These fish are an absolute delight to own, and they’re definitely one of our favorite cichlids. Their interesting pattern and active nature make them a very entertaining species. If you have any questions or stories about convict cichlids tha…