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would a convict live with a eletric yellow in a 20 gallon tank with a clay pot a a hollow log and plactic plants

soz danny
oi go to this site to see convicts
www.cichlid-forum.com (or forums i dunno)
no its just cichlid-forum.com
anyway it has stuff aboot convicts


[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-07-11 17:42][/span]

[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-07-11 17:43][/span]

I am not sure if there would be enough room, but I am sure they aren't compatible because the electric yellow needs a higher pH

Definitely not. They are from totally different regions, so there are big differences in water parameters, diet, tank decor and behaviour. Also, a 20 gallon is too small for electric yellows, and possibly for convicts as well.

Sorry!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

a single convict could live in a 20 gallon for a while. a female would be fine in there for life, but a male would eventually probably need a little larger tank as they can approach 6-7" over several years.


Jason

i probaly going to get 4 foot tank next year

Well, they must be somewhat compatable since I seen a crossbreed JD with a electric blue on auquabid.

A JD isn't a convict and an electric blue isn't an mbuna...

duh...I was just making an example. Looking at the water parameter that these fish are adaptable to (found on this site), I see no reason why they cannot live together.

Tank size is something to consider though. And the convict may get a little too aggresive in such a small tank.

The point was that very different fish can still live together and even breed to make hybrids. Electric blues and yellow are both from lake malawi and JD and convicts are both from central americal with similar water parms.

my convicts are great with africans- they act just like Mbuna! I have a Jack Dempsey too and they only thing is the convicts him off. No problems though

Do not do it! Electric yellow need to be in groups of 4 or more. A 20 gallon can not hold 4 electric yellows. And the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey I do not believe is a cross between an Electric Blue and a Jack Dempsey. It got that name as a reference to it's coloration. Find a picture of it. I do believe that the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey was a product of genetic research and selective breeding. Yes there are such things as hybrids, and anyone can slap fish into tanks that are not fit for them with tankmates that are not suitable for them. Putting these two species together in such a small tank with incorrect tank-mates is not in the best interest of the animals involved.

I agree with Robofish. I would bet my house on the fact that a JD has never bred with an electric blue from malawi (scianechromis fryeri). Common names are often bandied about and swapped and applied to completely different fish.

Danny it's not just about the tank size, so a 4 ft tank in the future wouldn't help matters. There are too many differences in water parameters, behaviour and diet to successfully keep cichlids from the two different regions together!

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

There are too many differences in water parameters, behaviour and diet to successfully keep cichlids from the two different regions together!

can you clearify this, because I am interested.

This is what I see on this site:
http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/fw/profile.asp?id=Cichlasoma+octofasciatum]http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/fw/profile.asp?id=Cichlasoma+octofasciatum[/link] [link=http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/fw/profile.asp?id=Labidochromis+caeruleus

1. You can feed both flakes and I am pretty sure they wouldn't mide sharing brine shrimp of anything else.
2 electric yellows - "A large tank is not required and will often compliment a community tank".???
3. Will a Jack Dempsey really mind Malawi cichlid salt?
4. Both can be kept in pH of 7.5-8.0
5. similar water temp.
6 Is gravel substrate type really going to make a big diff.?
7. similar hardness.

About the cross breed, I just seen that on aquabid and didn't pay that much attention to it. I just figured hybrid I guess.

[span class="edited"][Edited by jason_r_s 2004-07-13 04:10][/span]

oh yeah

8. ophie99 doesn't seem to have a problem.

2. electric yellows - "A large tank is not required and will often compliment a community tank".???

If that is true which is what you seem to want to go by, then you may want to look at the Jack Dempsey side. They are aggressive and territorial according to the site, and that is true. Their parameter possibilities are 7.0-8.0 according to the site. The more comfortable of which would be 7.5! And the E. yellows can survive 7.5 to 8.6, comfortably at 8.05! Jack Dempseys are irritated when salt is present IME. The Jack Dempseys would be very territorial. And furthermore, yes, the substrate makes a big difference. The E.yellows like hiding holes made from rock formations as well. Ophie99's fish may be alive, but not happy with the tankmates or healthy in the aquarium!

Now back to what this post was originally about, Convicts and E. yellows. Convicts territories would clash with the E. yellow territories, and they would most likely kill each other. Also, I will restate that E. yellows need a minimum of 4 of their own species in a group to be in a healthy environment! In conclusion, no it should not be done. It can be done and has been done, but anyone can decided hey lets throw some fish in a 20gal. And the stripes on the convict should turn horizontal if you put those two species together because that would be an appropriate prison uniform!

--Robofish

[span class="edited"][Edited by Robofish 2004-07-13 08:50][/span]

Electric blue dempseys are simply a color morph of the regular Jack Dempsey.

Also, something that has not yet been touched on yet is the differences in behavior between new world cichlids and old world cichlids. all cichlids communicate with each other by using body language and differences in coloration. old world cichlids show aggression by lightening their color. when an old world cichlid is showing submission it will darken up. new world cichlids are the opposite...when showing aggression they will darken up and when showing submission they lighten their color and turn very pale. now, put a new world with an old world and see what happens should they start to quarrel. when one tries to back down, it will do so by communicating in a way that means aggression to the other. so basically, the 2 will be fighting and one will be trying to surrender while the other continues to pound away thinking the fight isn't over. when new world cichlids and old world cichlids do get along, it's most likely because they have enough space to keep a distance from each other. if a fight ever does ensue, there will most likely be devastating consequences.

As far as diet goes...flakes will not suit either a JD or convict for very long. By the time the fish reaches 2-3" in length a good SA/CA pellet food will be best for them.

Jason

ps. for those unaware, old world cichlids are those from Africa and new world cichlids are those from the Americas

pps. Dragonfish, I only edited your post to add a space between the 2 links. That way we don't have to side-scroll to read the posts

[span class="edited"][Edited by jason_r_s 2004-07-13 07:08][/span]