How to Breed Convict Fish

Convict cichlids are known scientifically as Archocentrus nigrofasciatus, and they are attractive, striped fish that do well in freshwater aquariums. They are a tough species, and they do well in their own tanks, though they can be aggressive toward other fish. One advantage of keeping convict cichlids is they are easy to breed. If you are interested in breeding convict cichlids, make sure that you provide a good environment for the fry.

Things You'll Need

  • Tank
  • Gravel
  • Temperature gauge
  • pH strips
  • Flat rocks
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare a separate tank for your convict cichlid breeding pair, complete with filter and aquarium gravel. While they will breed in a tank with other fish, the presence of other fish makes them nervous and more aggressive.

    • 2

      Place a temperature gauge on the tank. The temperature for a breeding tank of convict cichlids may range from 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping the temperature stable in this range is important.

    • 3

      Test the water with pH strips, available from hobby stores. Breeding cichlids tolerate a wide pH range; they do well as long as the pH is between 6 and 8.

    • 4

      Place flat rocks in the bottom of the tank. Cichlids burrow under the rocks into the gravel to lay their eggs.

    • 5

      Place a male and female cichlid in the tank on their own.

    • 6

      Watch for the small fry to appear, clinging to the flat surface of the rock. The mother and father cichlid tend to circle them protectively until they are large enough to defend themselves.