Pink Convict Cichlid – Care Instructions & More!

If you’re a new fish owner or just beginning your search for fresh freshwater fish, you’ll find this care guide to be an invaluable source of information. Pink convict cichlid is a peaceful, active, and hardy captive that will thrive up to 75 gallons in most aquariums. 

They are native to Central America and inhabit river basins, streams, and small lakes with abundant rocky terrain so that they will appreciate a well-planted tank with a lot of open swimming space.

The scientific name of the pink convict is Archocentrus Nigrofasciatus convict cichlid.

A pink convict is simply a pseudo-albino version of the convict cichlid (Aequidens rivulatus).

Overview of the Pink Convict Cichlid

Pink convict cichlids are popular among beginners because of their ease of care and peaceful nature.

They are from Central America and are very hardy fish, very relaxed & gregarious.

Pink convicts care is simple to care for as they are not picky about the tank water quality, pH, and hardness levels.

They enjoy tank mates that will not harm them physically (like larger African cichlids) or will only be tankmates for short periods.

Pink Convicts Cichlid should be placed with fishes that are of similar size.

A larger specimen would be at risk of bullying the smaller fish.

Lifespan

The lifespan of a Pink Convict Cichlid in captivity has been recorded to be about years in captivity, but they only live 3-5 years in the wild.

Size

Pink convict cichlids can grow to about 6 inches in length. Therefore, a smaller specimen would risk bullying the larger fish.

However, keeping two different-sized fish in the same tank is not advisable, especially when the larger fish is much larger than the smaller fish and may bully or injure the smaller one.

Diet

Pink convicts are omnivores, meaning they eat both vegetable and animal food. They will eat most flake food offered to them.

They are probably one of the easiest omnivores to feed in captivity.

Like other convicts, the pink convict prefers a diet of small live frozen foods, such as baby brine shrimp, chopped earthworms, and daphnia.

The pink convicts prefer meaty live foods with lots of protein content like freeze-dried bloodworms. They will readily accept cichlid pellets or flake food.

While in the wild, the pink convicts feed on insects, small fish, and organic matter.

Tank Size

A minimum of 30 gallons is recommended to keep a single pink convict cichlid in captivity. However, they can be controlled in smaller groups if aquarium mates are maintained in groups of 3-4.

Filtration

A standard filter and heater work fine for the pink convict cichlid.

A canister filter with a sponge pad is an option for a smaller aquarium. However, care must be taken to keep the sponge pad clean and not allow it to get too dirty.

This will help prevent the spread of disease.

Aquarium Decorations

When decorating a tank for pink convict cichlid requires to be illustrated with live plants and is highly recommended.

They are acrobatic jumpers and will jump out of the aquarium if they feel threatened. A few large rocks with some open swimming space are what they need to jump around.

The best aquarium decor would include bog wood driftwood or cork filtration.

Aquarium Lid or Cover

An aquarium cover or lid should always be used when keeping pink convicts.

Aquarists report that the convict cichlid will leap out of the tank if they feel threatened, especially the females. Therefore, a large enough lid to keep them in is strongly recommended.

Water Parameters

With the introduction of new convict fish to the aquarium hobby, it has become more common to see them described in terms of a specific minimum and maximum pH range.

pH 8.0 – 9.0

The recommended pH range for the pink convict cichlid is 8.0 – 9.0.

In most instances, fish stores describe the pH range (7.5 – 10) as “neutral.” However, being closer to neutral does not automatically mean that the fish will be more at home in those conditions.

Some species, for instance, livebearers, develop problems when kept at pH near neutral.

pH is determined by the relative concentration of hydrogen ions in the water.

Water can be considered acidic, neutral, or primary, depending on the number of hydrogen ions in the solution.

The smaller the number of hydrogen ions, the lower the pH.

Conversely, the greater the number of hydrogen ions in the solution, the higher will be the pH value.

Water Hardness

The Pink Convict Cichlid must have access to clean and well-oxygenated water. The minimum required hardness is 180 ppm, which is the hardness of pure R.O. water (Rainwater).

For general purposes, most aquarists determine the minimum required hardness by selecting the amount of dissolved silica in 100 ml of tap water by a refractometer or kits themselves.

1. Water temperature: The pink convicts is a tropical fish and should be kept at a water temperature of 25-30°C/ 77-86°F. The water temperature should be the same for all fish in the aquarium.

Also Read: Do Turtles Snore? – How, When, Why & More!

Pink Convict Cichlid Tank Mates

Pink Convict Cichlids are peaceful with other species as long as they are of similar size. After that, the choice of tank mates is up to the aquarist.

The most common options are other convict cichlids and African cichlids. They will tolerate other fish in the wild, but they should not be mixed with aggressive nature species from different families.

The white-tailed deer cichlid is usually a black-mouthed species or black convict cichlid.

The African Cichlid is usually blue convict cichlid or black convict cichlid or dark silver-mouthed.

Aquarists will want to consider the following when choosing suitable mates for the pink convict cichlids: fish who are too large or nippy or aggressive could cause stress for this peaceful fish.

Therefore, fish staying in the aquarium’s middle to upper levels is best.

Good aquarium fishes or mates for the pink convict cichlid include the Oscars, green terrors, severums, plecos, and catfish.

If larger fish are to be kept with your pink convict cichlid, ensure they have a large enough tank to avoid bullying the convict.

Female Pink Convict Cichlids Characteristics

Some aquarists describe their female pink convict cichlids as having a ‘humped‘ back. It is unclear if this is the case, but aquarists follow this description.

Female pink convict cichlids are similar to the males in appearance, except for their pelvic fins. In addition, the females have a hump or hump-like protuberance on the anal fin. This may be due to the egg-carrying organs visible in females at spawning time.

Breeding

Breeding the pink convict cichlid is easy. They are egg layers and are very inexpensive to purchase.

Many poultry breeders sell eggs of the convict cichlids for this purpose and the females become sexually mature at one year.

When breeding, a suitable pair should be purchased and the tank should be set up the same way that they were before.

You only need to buy a male pink convict cichlid. The female will spawn with the male and spawn a clump of eggs.

The breeding pair should be placed in a separate tank or the main tank.

The female should be fed high protein cichlid pellets and be quarantined for 3-4 weeks before being introduced back to the community tank.

If any eggs are seen in the aquarium water, remove them from the tank and allow the pair to spawn. 

During spawning, the male will swim in circles around the female.

Usually, there is no need to place them into a spawning tank. However, if the female is spawning, she will choose a favorite spot.

Therefore, you can add the male to the tank. However, the male should be placed on one side of the spawn tank and the female on the other.

Once the eggs have been fertilized, the male will leave to find a new territory and lay his eggs.

After this has been done, the female and male can be separated and the fry will hatch in 1-2 days if allowed. Afterward, the female may roll the eggs to ensure they receive oxygen. At this point, they will be fine on their own.

The tank that is used for breeding should be cleaned thoroughly after spawning has occurred. In addition, regular partial water changes and frequent tank maintenance should maintain the aquarium well.

Diseases

The most common diseases seen in the pink convict cichlid are fin rot, ich, and thrips infestations. The common cause is the lack of clean water and fish care practices. Diseases are best prevented with proper tank maintenance.

Ich

Ich is one of the most common aquarium fish diseases as it is highly contagious and could quickly affect your fish’s health.

It causes small white dots to appear on the body and fins of the fish.

These dots turn into small white spots as they grow bigger, and the infected fish will scratch against rocks and floating plants, making the infection worse. 

Thrips

Thrips are a common pest of convict cichlids as they are small, making them hard to detect until the infestation is already enormous.

The female thrips lay eggs on the fins and body of your fish.

These eggs hatch and the fish scratches remove them, but, eventually, there are so many that the fish can’t move.

Rot

Another common fish disease is fin rot. It is caused by poor water quality and poor fish care practices.

With time or after a few weeks, the fins will turn white and then fall off, and your pink convict cichlid will eventually die.

You can use salt or vinegar to cure fin rot for treatment purposes. However, if a large outbreak occurs, your fish must be treated at a fish hospital.

Conclusion

The Pink Convict Cichlid is a beautiful fish from Central America that are clean and easy to care for. They are an excellent fish for the beginner aquarist.

With proper care, they will live 5-10 years.

The number of years they live depends on the health and maintenance of your aquarium or pond, as well as a proper diet, water changes or cleaning, and light cycles.

The pink convict cichlid is an ideal freshwater fish for aquariums or ponds. They are peaceful, and their colors make them a beautiful addition to any tropical aquarium setup.

They are far less aggressive than their convict cousins and do not have to be kept alone.

Other small cichlids, tetras, and barbs can be housed with them, and they will eat right off the bottom of your tank and will show themselves if you add aquarium plants.