Tank mates for a small female convict?

I bought a little convict cichlid yesterday, about 1.5". As best as I
can tell it's a female, it has short fins and a red belly. I had an
empty 10 gallon tank that I had been using as a quarantine tank, but I
finally got my show tank fully stocked, so instead of tearing it down I
decided to put a permanent resident in it:-). I realize that the convict
and a tank mate will eventually out grow a 10 gallon, but I'll get a
bigger tank for them soon. It seems like my little con will get bored
all by herself. What would go well with her? I don't want a house full
of fry either so a male is out of the question. Is a tank mate a good
idea or would she be better off alone? BTW the largest tank I could
could get to replace the 10 would be a 29 gallon(it's gotta fit on my
dresser, which is plenty sturdy). Any thoughts?

Josh

Josh Mills wrote:

I bought a little convict cichlid yesterday, about 1.5". As best as I
can tell it's a female, it has short fins and a red belly. I had an
empty 10 gallon tank that I had been using as a quarantine tank, but I
finally got my show tank fully stocked, so instead of tearing it down I
decided to put a permanent resident in it:-). I realize that the convict
and a tank mate will eventually out grow a 10 gallon, but I'll get a
bigger tank for them soon. It seems like my little con will get bored
all by herself. What would go well with her? I don't want a house full
of fry either so a male is out of the question. Is a tank mate a good
idea or would she be better off alone? BTW the largest tank I could
could get to replace the 10 would be a 29 gallon(it's gotta fit on my
dresser, which is plenty sturdy). Any thoughts?

I keep a Leporinus with my Buttikoferi. They actually get along quite
well, and compete about evenly for food.

The both started out individually in a 10g, and are now at 4" each in a
35g. Middle of the summer they will go into a ~150g tank.

"Josh Mills" wrote in message
.. .
I bought a little convict cichlid yesterday, about 1.5". As best as I
can tell it's a female, it has short fins and a red belly. I had an
empty 10 gallon tank that I had been using as a quarantine tank, but I
finally got my show tank fully stocked, so instead of tearing it down I
decided to put a permanent resident in it:-). I realize that the convict
and a tank mate will eventually out grow a 10 gallon, but I'll get a
bigger tank for them soon. It seems like my little con will get bored
all by herself. What would go well with her? I don't want a house full
of fry either so a male is out of the question. Is a tank mate a good
idea or would she be better off alone? BTW the largest tank I could
could get to replace the 10 would be a 29 gallon(it's gotta fit on my
dresser, which is plenty sturdy). Any thoughts?

Josh

Me thinks you're taking this a bit too seriously Josh.... fish, bored?
How about a mirror?

--
JK Sinrod
Sinrod Stained Glass Studios
www.sinrodstudios.com
Coney Island Memories
www.sinrodstudios.com/coneymemories

In article ,
says...

"Josh Mills" wrote in message
.. .
I bought a little convict cichlid yesterday, about 1.5". As best as I
can tell it's a female, it has short fins and a red belly. I had an
empty 10 gallon tank that I had been using as a quarantine tank, but I
finally got my show tank fully stocked, so instead of tearing it down I
decided to put a permanent resident in it:-). I realize that the convict
and a tank mate will eventually out grow a 10 gallon, but I'll get a
bigger tank for them soon. It seems like my little con will get bored
all by herself. What would go well with her? I don't want a house full
of fry either so a male is out of the question. Is a tank mate a good
idea or would she be better off alone? BTW the largest tank I could
could get to replace the 10 would be a 29 gallon(it's gotta fit on my
dresser, which is plenty sturdy). Any thoughts?

Josh

Me thinks you're taking this a bit too seriously Josh.... fish, bored?
How about a mirror?


I guess I am a bit of a freak when it comes to my fishes:-). I guess I
have too much time on my hands.

Josh

Some tankmates that will get along decently with your convict are a
firemouth , a Salvini , a bristlenose, some tiger barbs, or a few zebra
danios. The bristlenose is peaceful, but armored so it will be ok. Zebras
and tiger barbs are very quick, so she probably won't be able to catch them.
The rest are similar to convicts, tough and moderately agressive. Most of
them will outgrow a 10 gallon, but should be fine in a 29.

Limnophile

"Josh Mills" wrote in message
.. .
I bought a little convict cichlid yesterday, about 1.5". As best as I
can tell it's a female, it has short fins and a red belly. I had an
empty 10 gallon tank that I had been using as a quarantine tank, but I
finally got my show tank fully stocked, so instead of tearing it down I
decided to put a permanent resident in it:-). I realize that the convict
and a tank mate will eventually out grow a 10 gallon, but I'll get a
bigger tank for them soon. It seems like my little con will get bored
all by herself. What would go well with her? I don't want a house full
of fry either so a male is out of the question. Is a tank mate a good
idea or would she be better off alone? BTW the largest tank I could
could get to replace the 10 would be a 29 gallon(it's gotta fit on my
dresser, which is plenty sturdy). Any thoughts?

Josh

"Limnophile" wrote in message
...
Some tankmates that will get along decently with your convict are a
firemouth , a Salvini , a bristlenose, some tiger barbs, or a few zebra
danios. The bristlenose is peaceful, but armored so it will be ok. Zebras
and tiger barbs are very quick, so she probably won't be able to catch
them.
The rest are similar to convicts, tough and moderately agressive. Most of
them will outgrow a 10 gallon, but should be fine in a 29.

Limnophile

"Josh Mills" wrote in message
I bought a little convict cichlid yesterday, about 1.5". As best as I
can tell it's a female,
*snip*
What would go well with her? I don't want a house full
of fry either so a male is out of the question. Is a tank mate a good
idea or would she be better off alone? BTW the largest tank I could
could get to replace the 10 would be a 29 gallon*snip*

Pardon my ignorance, but how large of a territory does a single firemouth
hold? If any? Firemouths hold territory solely for spawning? Obviously each
fish may be /will be differet from the next, but I'm curious as to whether a
29 would be large enough for both these fish to thrive when mature size
reached? I've been told firemouths can be quite territorial but never kept
any yet. My male convict killed his mate recently, presumably because of
something to do with their latest batch of fry -he had never shown real
aggression towards her, and was considering a firemouth for tankmate after
removing the fry and getting him out of parenting mode..good/bad idea? TIA