The Right Aquarium For Your Convict Cichlid

If you’re new to the world of the convict cichlid or just aquariums in general, picking out and setting up a new tank can be a daunting task. Thankfully, setting up an aquarium isn't too tough. Hopefully you've already decided you're going with a Central American cichlid tank, because Central American and African cichlids don't really mix. The Central American cichlids are much more aggressive, so you really should separate the two species. You will, however, want to make sure to include plenty of hiding places, like plants or caves, to protect the fish.

Also, you should keep in mind, that it is best to limit your tank to only two species of fish, especially if they're the Central American cichlids. If you have a very large tank, you could go with more, but I really wouldn't suggest it. The last thing you want is to have your fish killing each other.

As I've talked about before, you'll want to go with an external filtration system since convict cichlids love to dig. That means an undergravel filter just won't cut it. I also suggest getting at least a 30 gallon aquarium. Besides the fact that larger tanks are easier to maintain and take care of, cichlids are aggressive, so a larger tank means the weaker fish have an easier time avoiding hostility.

Finally, you may want some plants in your aquarium. I personally love to have plants in the tank. However, be aware that your cichlids, especially the convict cichlid, will eat the plants. So look into getting some hardy plants like sword plants, anubias, and Java ferns.

Obviously, there are other ways to decorate the aquarium. I like driftwood and plants. Some people like the little diver guy with the treasure chest that blows bubbles. Classics like that never go out of style. But do try to give your fish a place to hide, because the convict cichlid can be (ok, will be) very aggressive.

Here's a really cool book that I found that helped me out a lot when I was first putting my cichlid tank together.

I hope this helped you plan the layout for your new aquarium!