Convict cichlid

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iConvict cichlid

a male Archocentrus nigrofasciatus

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Genus:	Archocentrus (Gill 1877)
Species:	A. nigrofasciatus

Binomial name

Archocentrus nigrofasciatus
(Günther, 1867)

Convict cichlids are a Central American species of cichlids found in freshwater streams and lakes. These fish are named convict due to their black stripes similar to early prison uniforms. They are very aggressive towards other fish when breeding, they are very defensive of their fry and breeding site.

They are one of the easiest cichlids to breed in an aquarium.

Convicts are very genectically close to the Honduran red point cichlid and readily hybridize.

1 Environment
2 Breeding
- 2.1 Fry
3 External links

[edit] Environment

Convicts prefer to live around many large rocks in order to shelter themselves and their young. The usually dig a nest at the bottom with loose sand or gravel.

[edit] Breeding

Convicts pair off with a dance in which the male swims parallel to the female. The female contracts her scales to darken her stripes and brighten her underside. Females usually show an orange type belly color that becomes more intense when close to breeding. The female will find a secluded shelter, such as a large crevice between rocks or a nest dug in the gravel, to lay about 100 eggs. The male will then fertilize the eggs and then aggressively protect them from any other fish which come near.

[edit] Fry

Upon hatching after 3 days from the female laying the eggs, the fry will attempt to swim with the egg enclosed around its body. Eventually, the fry will resemble tiny versions of their parents. The female and male occasionally move the fry in their mouth to the nest if they stray too far from it, however the male might eat a few of them.