Breeding Convict Cichlid

Breeding Amatitlania nigrofasciata: an exceptionally easy substrate-spawning cichlid. Sexing, simple pairing, up to 300 eggs on a cleaned surface and weeks of biparental care.

Overview

The Convict Cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata), also called the Zebra Cichlid, is a substrate-spawning cichlid from Central America that is exceptionally easy to breed. The KB record rates breeding difficulty as beginner-level.

Sexing

Males tend to grow larger than females and develop pointed dorsal and anal fins as they mature; some specimens also develop a nuchal hump. Females have a characteristic dark spot in the dorsal fin and become more brightly coloured when in spawning condition.

Conditioning

Pairing is often as simple as placing a male and a female together. If this fails, a group of juveniles can be grown on so a pair forms naturally. Condition the fish on a varied diet and perform large weekly water changes of up to 50% to encourage spawning.

Breeding Setup

Provide caves and hiding places, using clay flowerpots as spawning sites. The species is highly territorial when breeding, so the tank should give other inhabitants space to retreat.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

When ready, both fish intensify in colour. The female selects and cleans a spawning site, and following courtship displays as many as 300 eggs are laid. Large weekly water changes act as the main trigger.

Egg & Fry Care

Eggs hatch in 3-4 days and the fry drop to the floor of the cave. They are then moved into a pre-excavated pit in the substrate, where they remain until their yolk sacs are absorbed, becoming free-swimming after 4-7 days. The pair shows excellent parental care lasting several weeks, with the female tending the fry while the male defends the territory. Start the fry on brine shrimp nauplii before transitioning to crushed flake and cichlid pellets as they grow.

Common Challenges

The main difficulty is the extreme territorial aggression of a breeding pair, which can harm or kill tank mates; the species is also prolific, so a plan for the offspring is needed.