Convicts - advice/experience?

[HEADIN]

Warning - long post

Ok so im looking for some advice on convicts.

Ive read a lot about them lately but nothing beats a bit of info from those with proper experience with them.

Im taking on a new tank in the next few weeks, its a 40gal (4ft long) tank. Its already established as it belongs to a friend of mine who is willing to part with it and hand it over to me, im just getting sorted out and back on my feet first and trying to get sorted with a suitable stand for it first and then I will take it off his hands.

Already he has a few angel fish in there and a few small cichlids, an inch or so in size, but he got them out of a store and they are labelled as assorted cichlid fry so they could be anything. Im not fussed on angels so I would be planning on parting with those and also those smaller cichlids as I dont think they would stand a chance against convicts.

He has sand etc. in it but I plan on doing my own thing with it and since my current 4ft 30gal tank is a community tank with fake plants etc. I think I will give some types of live plants a go and also mix in gravel with the sand.

I know cichlids are notorious for digging and tearing plants apart but ive read hardier plants like amazon swords and java fern are a good choice for convicts so I think that may be the route I go along with a few rock formations for hiding places etc.

If I do decide on convicts, are there any suitable tank mates for them? Barbs seem to be recommended due to their speed and ability to stay out of the way of the convicts?
Tetras maybe?
Perhaps another cichlid of similar size to stand its ground against them?
How would kribs fare against a convict?
Would they co exist?

How are plecos with them and other bottom feeders?
Any type of schooling fish? Would they stand a chance with their speed?
danios maybe?
I would also need to decide on weather to get a lone male, or 2 females?

Females supposedly show less aggression than males due to the males liking to defend a territory? Females are also way smaller than males so that may be a plus. I dont think there is much point in getting a pair as I wouldnt have other tanks available for any fry to grow out in and the aggression from cichlids when they spawn can be extreme to say the least and this is only coming from my experience with breeding kribs.
So I think I will stay away from a pair to avoid the breeding side of things.

Has anyone ever had experience with a real mellow convict? I know sometimes it depends on the personality of the fish etc. and some can be down right mean and others can get along just fine with other fish in the tank etc..

I would probably like to have a few other fish in the tank just for their activity and different colours and to make it interesting for the kids to watch etc but I would try to make sure they arent that small that they get eaten.

Are there any live bearers that would go well with convicts? Ive never had a real interest in rearing the fry from live bearers and only keep them as an extra food source for the current fish I keep.

Purely an idea at the minute and tossing a few different plans about.

If a convict(s) arent the route I go I may decide on a few apistogramma, bolivians and the like.. but convicts fascinate me and if I have a chance to plan a tank around 1 or 2 of them I would be very tempted, depending though on the limitations that come with them.

Thanks.

[Lady Hobbs]

Convicts are meaner than junk yard dogs at breeding time and been known to kill everything in a tank. They have a ton of babies so you need to be able to get rid of those in some manner because soon the adults will be breeding again. Personally I would go with your second choice of apistogramma and bolivians in a nice planted tank.

[HEADIN]

I've read that they can be extremely mean and 1 of my local stores actually told me that if they where to get them in they would need to be collected on arrival as they wouldn't put them into any other tank with fish in it becuase they are so aggressive.

I forgot to add to my original post, firemouths may also be another choice as they are somewhat more mellow if i am correct?

Which ever way i do go it will more likely be along with something i've mentioned in here.

Definately don't wany any breeding pairs though.

[Angel keeper]

From my knowledge Convicts are meanies, my friend keeps them and he could not get rid of them. He even finds it hard to clean the tank because when he puts his hand in they try to take chunks out of him. He even had cuts from bites.

I would also suggest Lady Hobbs' idea in keeping apistogramma and bolivians, they are really fun to watch and they are not as agressive.

Firemouths are good but they tend to sometimes like to start fights which they mostly lose and back away. I dont think they could stand against Convicts. All Cichlids get aggressive in some way or form when breeding.

[Convict Enthusiast]

Sure some convicts are bad@asses, but IMO they are very over-rated in terms of aggression. But inch for inch, I do beleive that very few fish could tangle with a convict, especially during breeding time. But the thing that sells the convict short is that they usually top off at 6, 7 inches, while other aggressive CA cichlids can grow much, much bigger.

Watch this video. This loser has 2 breeding pairs of Jags and cons in a 10 gallon! Of course the much bigger Jag will murder the convict!
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[Sandz]

I just wanted to chime in with a bit or recently aquired advice... I have Honduran Red Points. Its very close to a convict yet maintains a very docile attitude. I have one in my 55gal community and a breeding pair in their own tank (for the fry's safety). The community readily accepted my single HRP and it keeps to its self. I have not seen anyone pecking or aggressive in it at all. So anyway, my point is there are less mean options if convict cichlids are the way you want to go.

Because you dont want fry, why not just get 1 fish. Plan other tank mates around that one.