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i may get a 55g i want central american fish. the definant fish that i want is convict cichlid what else and how many convicts could comfortably live in there

If you definately want a convict, I'd suggest just one pair of them. Sorry to say that the convicts are MEGA aggressive and especially so when breeding. Make sure you get a pair and not two males though, the females have reddish scales on their underside.

Their are so many options basicly anything that dosn't get bigger than say 8-10inches so JD's, Sajicas, salvini, cons as you said you want, firemouths, texas, green terror, blue acara, brasiliensis, jewels, chocolte cichlids, severums, vombergae, aureum cichlid,ect, ect, ect, these are some of the more commen americans but i could tell you some of the more rarer fish.
You could have a JD
salvini
convict
firemouth
severum in a 55 together and maby one other cichlid.
you will have to have great filltration but if you buy them all small they should grow up and not be too aggressive. Some might say this wount work but they are all fair sized aggressive cichlids that are tuff and can take a beating. It is also better to have five or six then it is to have say three.as one will claim one end and another will claim the other end and the extra will be chased from teritory to teritory. It helps spread out aggression so it isn't limited to one fish and dominant fish will be kept on their toes(fins) by the competition.

Sorry to say that the convicts are MEGA aggressive and especially so when breeding.

I agree. I'd get a pair of convicts and some dithers of some type for the male to chase when they breed. this way you'll get to see the most 'natural' behavior of convicts.

if you want other cichlids as well, I'd recommend a second pair of convicts or a pair of another cryptoheros species like sajica.

Jason