Ok, right off the bat, no I’m not referring to “African American criminals”…I’m referring to the fish, Archocentrus Nigrofaciatus!
“Black Convict” is the common name for a silvery, black-striped Cichlid. Although this popular, (3rd behind, Oscars and Angelfish) prolific, aquarium fish only grows to about 5-6 inches tops, (and that’s in a large tank) they pack a whallop that is unrivaled in the aquarium world.
I’d had a 20 gal. aquarium for years, with a group of 6, high-fin tetras (black widows), an algea eater and a couple of baby Black Oscars. One of the Oscars mysteriously passed after several months, but I’ve had the rest of the fish for over five years now, which I think is pretty good, considering I’m just a casual “hobbyist.”
Unfortunately, through an accident that we don’t need to get into here, I had to purchase another aquarium. So naturally, I figured I may as well move up in the fish world, so I bought my cousin Mike’s 50 gal. aquarium that he was selling.
Since I now had a bigger tank, I could have more fish! Yeah! 
So, to round out my assortment, I bought a couple of Jack Dempseys, a couple of other cichlids and I just happened to purchase a pair (male and female) of, “black convict” cichlids, not knowing exactly what I was getting into.
Well, fast forward three months and five-hundred babies later to the present! And no, I’m not kidding! They’ve had two sets of babies; the first set numbering around 200 and the second about 300 in number! I still have about 150 of the “frye” as they are called, that I separated into a couple of ten gal. tanks.
Now, in all fairness, the fish guy at the pet store warned me that they would probably mate, if the conditions were right, (sound familiar?) But, I figured what would my chances be, since I was just a “hobbyist,” you know, I don’t check the water “ph” like I should and I don’t do the proper water changes when I’m supposed to etc.
Apparently, the proper “conditions” for black convicts to mate is:
1. Buy a pair of convicts, and
2. Add food!
But, the lessons that I learned from them are:
1. How unbelievably prolific fish can be and,
2. I learned that…ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!
The thing is that Black Convicts are the bad-asses of the aquarium world! They are normally very territorial by nature, however when they are spawning or mating, they defend their mate and babies with their lives! And they take on all comers, no matter what size…(including your hand!)
My convicts are about three and four inches respectively, (the males are usually the bigger of the two.) I’ve seen stand-offs between the male convict (aptly named Ivan) and the Oscar, which is about 4 inches longer, or twice his size and the convict always stands his ground!
They MUST have their space! My fifty gallon aquarium is now divided almost in half by an invisible force-field like wall, now known as the “wall of terror!” Whenever another fish happens to wander into the “forbidden zone,” the convicts often puff up their chest and flare out their gills out to make themselves appear larger.
It’s really hilarious in a macabre kinda way, because all of the other fish stay on their “side” of the aquarium, or else! I’ve since learned after a litle more research that black convicts are a distant cousin of the piranha…and I believe it! I call them, ”pit-bulls!”
The lesson that I learned though, is that attitude is everything! Size has absolutely nothing to do with effectiveness, or ability to produce, protect, or defend! IT’S ALL ABOUT ATTITDE!
Just ask the Black Convicts!
Keep your Head Up!
Ambrose
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