Marble Convict Cichlid Care Guide
The Marble Convict is a selectively bred form of the convict cichlid Amatitlania nigrofasciata, a hardy and prolific Central American cichlid.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Marble Convict is a selectively bred colour form of the convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata, a small Central American cichlid. Wild fish display 8 or 9 black vertical bars on a blue-grey body; selective breeding has produced leucistic and other strains. Females typically show more intense banding and pink to orange ventral colour.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Amatitlania
- Scientific name: Amatitlania nigrofasciata
- Described: Günther, 1867
Habitat
The convict cichlid occurs on both slopes of Central America, on the Pacific slope from El Salvador to Guatemala and on the Atlantic slope from Honduras to Guatemala. It favours moving water with rocky cover.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 6.8-8.0
- GH: 8-18 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-10 years
Diet
The convict cichlid is omnivorous, feeding on plants, algae, small fish, crustaceans, insects and worms. In the aquarium it accepts a wide range of prepared and live or frozen foods.
Compatibility
Convict cichlids are highly aggressive and territorial, especially when breeding, displaying through biting, chasing and body-size posturing. They are not plant-safe and are unsuitable with small or peaceful fish; robust tankmates and ample space are required.
Breeding
The convict cichlid is a monogamous cave spawner with strong biparental care. Pairs spawn in caves or crevices, fan the eggs for oxygenation and retrieve fry at night. They breed readily in aquaria with minimal conditioning.
Breeding Convict Cichlid
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.