Species name: Archocentrus Nigrofasciatus
Common names: Convict Cichlid, zebra cichlids
Family: Cichlidae
Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae
Order: Perciformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Maximum length: 3.9 inch (10 cm)
Minimum tank size: 20 gallons
Hardiness:
Aggressiveness: Aggressive
Distribution: Central America: Pacific slope, from Río Sucio, El Salvador to Río Suchiate, Guatemala; Atlantic slope, from Río Patuca, Honduras to Río Jutiapa, Guatemala. Not in slope to Panama, Costa Rica or even Nicaragua, as formerly considered.
Diet: Feed on worms, crustaceans, insects, fish and plant matter.

Additional information:
From Central America, Archocentrus Nigrofasciatus is commonly known as Convict Cichlid because their coloring is similar to that of human prisoners’ striped uniforms, some people call these fish zebra cichlids.

It is not difficult to differentiate between the male and the female of the species. The male has black stripes and is grey, whereas the female has darker black stripes and has a pink or orange body. The female fish is more colourful than the male fish and she is smaller than he is. The male grows to approximately 7cms whereas the female only grows to approximately 5cms.

The Convict Cichlid is an egg layer. Both the male and the female fish will care for the young. The adult fish will fan the eggs for the seventy-two hours it takes the eggs to hatch. The parent fish will continue to care for the young fish until the fry are about four weeks old. Both the male and the female adults are very protective of their young and will guard them should any other fish come near.

The Convict Cichlid is a very aggressive fish and it is best to keep only one pair in your tank. If you wish to keep more of these lovely fish, you will probably need to separate the couples when one couple is breeding and when the fry are under four weeks old.

You need to have a reasonably large aquarium to keep Convict Cichlids. For one pair you will need an aquarium that holds at least twenty gallons of water. Should you wish to keep other species in your tank, choose hardy fish such as other Central American Cichlids. This is because the Convict Cichlids are very aggressive towards other fish particularly when they are breeding. You will need to have a tank that holds at least forty gallons of water if you wish to keep additional fish.

For the Convict Cichlids to feel settled in an aquarium, you will need to provide these fish with plenty of places to hide. The fish like branches and rocks because that is what they would hide under in their natural habitat. It is essential that you provide caves in the aquarium if you wish your fish to breed. Be prepared for a breeding pair to move the rocks and branches around the aquarium. The Convict Cichlids may burrow under and uproot plants in the aquarium prior to breeding.

The aquarium will require a filtration system to keep the water moving because Convict Cichlids need moving water to thrive. You should keep the temperature of your aquarium between 78 degrees Fahrenheit and 84 degrees Fahrenheit and the PH balance should be between 6.5 and 7.8.

When not in captivity, Convict Cichlids would eat small worms and insect larvae. In the aquarium, the fish will eat commercial fish food. For variety, you can feed the Convict Cichlids on small pieces of vegetables, such as zucchini, cucumber, or lettuce. They will also enjoy blood worms.

Convict Cichlids are wonderful to watch in the aquarium especially when they are caring for their young. These hardy fish are an excellent choice for your aquarium.

Sources: website: helium.com
Aquarium Fish Handbook by Mary Bailey and Nick Dakin

Convict Cichlid - Archocentrus Nigrofasciatus5.051

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