Should I buy it?
Convict cichlid
Amatitlania nigrofasciata
Also known as: zebra cichlid (central america. Do not mix with african cichlid trade names), Zebra cichlid (Central America. Do not mix with african cichlid trade names)
Fishori provides conservative planning guidance, not guarantees.
Based on multiple reputable aquarium care sources with strong agreement. Use the numbers here as planning defaults — your room, water, and routine still shape real-world outcomes.
Easy to breed is the headline. The problem is that a bonded pair will overrun your tank and bully every neighbour relentlessly.
Best for
Single-species tanks of 100 L or more for a bonded pair; experienced keepers after an easy first cichlid.
Avoid if
You want a community tank, can't rehome fry, or have any peaceful smaller fish in the tank.
Top things that go wrong
- Mouth gap vs tiny tank mates. Predation risk toward smaller tank mates. The figure that matters is the adult mouth size against the adult prey length, not the juvenile sizes in the shop.
- Shrimp & snails. Shrimp: not safe. The fish will eat adult shrimp, shrimp fry, or both, depending on the size of the shrimp.
Common mistakeAdding community fish after a bonded pair forms. The first spawn turns a semi-aggressive label into active defence of a nest zone that injures every neighbour.
What most shops don't tell you
- 1.Predation risk scales with gape, night feeding, and crowding. 'they grew up together' is a schedule, not a law.
- 2.Breeding in community nano tanks, leading to hundreds of uncontrolled juveniles.
- 3.Housed with tiny neons as dither without a plan for gape and aggression during spawning.
- 4.A single 30 cm 'starter' convict in a 40 L is not the same as a mature breeding pair in 200 L or more. Rehome or separate fry. Never release to local waters.
About this species
Convicts are 10 to 15 cm Central American cichlids that spawn easily and overrun small tanks. They are territorial and will eat very small or slow tank mates. Plan space, structure, and population control (sex ratios, grow-out) before buying a pair.
- African Cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Discus200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Firemouth Cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Jack Dempsey200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Keyhole cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Rainbow cichlid200L min · same group, comparable tank size
- Angelfish150L min · same fish family
- Electric Blue Acara150L min · same fish family
- Kribensisalso beginner semi-aggressive, similar tank size
No reverse lookups on file yet.
Plan grid
Key limits are shown above; this section adds planning detail: pH band, swim level, bioload and activity, and the radar.
Swim zones
Planning trait chart
Six indices for comparing species on paper before you spend.
- Beginner ease54
- Peacefulness30
- Community fit26
- Small-tank fit90
- Hardiness76
- Energy54
Numbers are deterministic planning indices from Fishori fields — not a scientific score of your individual fish.
Common setup sketches
Conservative patterns from Fishori fields — still run the pair checker for every species you add; sketches are not a stocking guarantee.
Avoid “one of everything” baskets — Convict cichlid belongs in a plan built around territory, line-of-sight breaks, and matched water chemistry.
Tank mate intelligence
Best species-only. With other Central American cichlids of similar size in 300 L or more. Avoid every smaller and slower species.
Pair-level compatibility with this fish as anchor.
Read the blocking rule on each pair page before experimenting.
Do-not-stock combinations on conservative hobby rules.
Compare with
Run a real pair check: Convict cichlid + Molly
- Try Molly — open the pair check.
- Try Boesemani Rainbowfish — open the pair check.
- Try Corydoras Catfish — open the pair check.
- Try Swordtail — open the pair check.
Behaviour, temperament, and what to watch
Prose and lists come from the same record: read temperament first, then glass-level signals so you are not surprised after day three.
Aggressive when paired and spawning. Which is constantly, given how prolific they are. Solo specimens are calmer.
Stress / aggression triggers on file
- Crowding and limited territory
- Similar-looking fish in the same tank
- Spawning, for any breeding pair
Fin nipping: Not a habitual fin-nipper, but individuals can still test fins under stress or in a crowded tank.
Predation: Predation risk toward smaller tank mates. The figure that matters is the adult mouth size against the adult prey length, not the juvenile sizes in the shop.
Territory: Holds territory on substrate, in caves, or at the surface film. Break the line of sight with hardscape, and avoid placing the tank where the fish can see its own reflection.
Planted tanks: good — easy plant ideas
In the glass: typical and warning signs
- Moderate pacing — not hyperactive, not motionless.
- Clamped fins, gasping at the surface, hiding non-stop, or refusing food after the first week.
- Rapid breathing when parameters swing — fix ammonia/nitrite first, then reassess mates.
- Chasing one individual repeatedly, torn fins on tank mates, or food theft every feed.
- Corner guarding, flaring, or body-blocking — territory is normal until it becomes relentless.
- Separate or rehome if injuries appear, one fish is pinned, or feeding becomes a daily chase.
- If water is stable but behaviour worsens, reduce stocking or remove the highest-impact species first.
Fish behaviour can vary between individuals and tank setups. Always observe new fish closely after introduction.
Care parameters: water, food, inverts, grouping
Chemistry and group rules sit here so you are not re-reading the same line from tank mate or temperament blocks. Swim level is in the plan grid above.
Hardness
medium-hard
Diet
omnivore
Mixed diet: a quality flake or pellet as the staple, with frozen or live foods two or three times a week.
Shrimp & snails
Shrimp: not safe. The fish will eat adult shrimp, shrimp fry, or both, depending on the size of the shrimp.
Kept in pairs or small groups of 2 or more. Buy them at the same time rather than adding one fish at a time.
Breeding behaviour depends on the species. Research before you buy a mixed-sex group of this fish.
- Hold 22 to 30 °C steadily on a real thermometer, not the dial on the heater.
- Aim for pH 6.5 to 8 and a hardness you can re-test in two weeks. A one-time strip in the shop car park is not a water test.
- Footprint: short wide tanks and tall narrow tanks fish differently for the same volume. Match the tank shape to the swim pattern, not just the litre count.
- Tank volume meets or exceeds 200L published minimum for adults.
- You can stock at least 2 individuals (group welfare).
- Heater can hold 22–30°C without cooking cooler-water tank mates.
- No known fin-nippers paired with long-finned fish unless you accept documented risk.
- No tank mates small enough to fit the adult mouth gap for this species.
Explore and stocking hubs
Same library as the rest of Fishori: tank-mate index for this species, category peers, guides, and litre-based stocking lists where min tank on file is within the hub volume.
Plan with tools
Pair-level rules and multi-fish stocking use the same conservative engine — add this fish in the tank builder only after mates pass pair checks.
Filtration & heating
A 200L minimum tank needs a filter rated for at least 800L/hr turnover and a heater to hold 22–30°C reliably.
Plant suggestions
Convict cichlid does well in planted tanks. Plants compatible with 22–30°C and pH 6.5–8:
Profile status: partially verified · Evidence tier: high · 3 linked source(s). Fishori does not fabricate citations.
Fishori uses conservative planning rules based on these sources.
Confidence is explained in the summary at the top of this page (same tier as here), not repeated below.
How Fishori evaluates compatibility (same logic as pair and tank tools).
- Seriously Fish. Amatitlania nigrofasciata
Primary: aquarium size, water chemistry, behaviour, and compatibility (URL verified in upgrade script; recheck if site content changes).
- FishBase. Amatitlania nigrofasciata
Secondary: taxonomy, distribution, and maximum length in nature; cross-check with aquarium import lines and measured tank parameters.
- Wikipedia. Amatitlania nigrofasciata
Secondary: general species context; verify all husbandry numbers against a dedicated aquarium care sheet and your test kit, not a single table row.
Evidence notes
- The Seriously Fish profile for the binomial in this record was successfully reached as the primary aquarium reference.
- FishBase contributes natural-range size and habitat context. Translate those numbers through your heater, your water report, and your tank footprint before stocking.
- Wikipedia is only cited if the article URL returned OK. Use it for orientation, not as the only care sheet for an import.
- All compatibility text reflects typical hobby experience and the Fishori model. Individual fish, shop stress, and the order tank mates are added in can still defy a single-paragraph label.
- Fishori profiles work from typical aquarium trade sizes and hobby care norms. Specialist site checks and literature review for this species are not yet recorded here, so the ranges on this page are planning numbers rather than guarantees.