# Yellow Dwarf Convict tankmates



## shaunpitzer (May 8, 2008)

I just got a reverse trio of Archocentrus nanoluteus and was wondering what kind of tankmates they would tolerate. They are currently in a 20 gal Long and I will probably move the extra male out once I figure out the pair. I wouldn't mind a bn pleco or oto's if the nano's won't eat them and maybe some small dithers. I am pretty new to cichlids and was hoping to try and breed these eventually. Any suggestions?


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

I would go for very peaceful tank mates. These guys are pretty fragile so watch water quality as well. I've found they do much better with not much current.


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## shaunpitzer (May 8, 2008)

Would a breeding pair be okay with a clown or bn pleco?


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

Should be fine. If they decide they want to eat the eggs, the Nanoluteus will punish them


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## AU Chief (Jun 20, 2007)

I just got 7 of these, and i can tell you that my molly seems to hate them for some reason.


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## PirateCrash (Jul 3, 2007)

A clown would grow waay too big for a 20 gal.

I say plecos would work, even a yoyo loach or 2.


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## AU Chief (Jun 20, 2007)

PirateCrash said:


> A clown would grow waay too big for a 20 gal.
> 
> I say plecos would work, even a yoyo loach or 2.


I'm pretty sure he the OP meant Clown Pleco, or Panaque maccus if you will, not a Clown Knife. A Clown pleco would work fine size wise, but I'd read that profile to make sure its the fish for you. I have a bunch of BN plecs on my hands right now, and they produce a ton of minature sized waste. But they are good fish and comical to watch.


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## shaunpitzer (May 8, 2008)

I did mean a clown pleco and I have one in my show tank right now, but I was thinking about putting the clown in my 20G long Archocentrus nanoluteus tank and putting a bn in my show tank. I know clowns only get 4-5" long. But tha is my question, do you think a 20Gal long with three nano's and a clown is over stocked? If not, what are some good dithers to add as well.


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

I've had a clown plec in my 33 Gal for at least 4 years and he is still only about 3".

I think you could put a small school of fast moving dithers in there as well. About 6 - 8 of the smaller tetras would work. They may get eaten eventually but should be fine for a while.

Make sure the female has lots of hiding places as the male may get to be too much for her.


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## shaunpitzer (May 8, 2008)

UPDATE

Our power was out for a few days when the remnants of Ike came through and the following weekend, I had fry! The pair was beating the **** out of the lone male so he got moved ASAP, but the clown pleco is getting fat and happy. There are 30-40 freeswimmers and after almost a week, it seems like most of them are still there. They sure are neat to watch. How long till they quit watching over the fry?


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

Congrats! They should protect the fry for quite a while. Likely for another few weeks anyway. 
Inexperience may play a part and cause them to eat them sooner though.

I'd recommend getting another fry tank setup ASAP and see about using some filter media from an existing tank to help cycle it quickly. Give it another week or so and syphon 80% of the fry over and raise them on their own.

You are lucky to have them breed so you should think about trying to raise them and get more into the hobby.


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## Big Vine (Feb 26, 2007)

That's great man, congratulations! :dancing: 


MacFish said:


> You are lucky to have them breed so you should think about trying to raise them and get more into the hobby.


I wholeheartedly agree! :thumb: 
BV


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## shaunpitzer (May 8, 2008)

I think I will. No one I have talked to has seen these guys breed, but they are also not too common in my area. My only fear is that it will be illegal soon.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.6311:


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

I thought that the states handled this sort of thing and only when invasive species got out of hand that the feds intervened. Still though I wouldn't think that the hobby has too much to worry about here though, since most cichlids dont do well in the wild here except in the south (I think). from what I know even then their ranges are pretty limited. Asian carp, Snake heads, are a whole different ball game though. Unless the feds just start going crazy with this, we should be fine.


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

shaunpitzer said:


> I think I will. No one I have talked to has seen these guys breed, but they are also not too common in my area. My only fear is that it will be illegal soon.
> 
> http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.6311:


I had 2 pairs spawn once each for me and then never again.

They are an endangered species I believe so I don't think anymore can be collected from the wild.


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## shaunpitzer (May 8, 2008)

My fear is that the hobby in general will be illegal, from buying to selling to trading to breeding regardless of what fish you have or how rare they are. ALL non-native species would be banned. Fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and inverts would all be illegal.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

> My fear is that the hobby in general will be illegal, from buying to selling to trading to breeding regardless of what fish you have or how rare they are. ALL non-native species would be banned. Fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and inverts would all be illegal.


*IF* it becomes illegal do you think it will stop us?

:lol: 

It won't stop me! I would gladly want them to catch me and then speak my mind! Also if it does become illegal my like for America will fade and I will move to another country because America isn't what it was when it first began! The government is taking over what we do!

Also I wouldn't put that into second thought and would breed them and get into the hobby! Seriously just ignore it! It probably won't pass anyway! :wink:


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Some of our Australian members may chime in on this . They have very restrictive laws over which fish are imported . If your lucky enough to have some "grandfathered" breeding population then you can take them all the way to the bank. captive raised fish that cannot be imported any longer go for big money down there.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over this bill though. It will take a long time for them to make up their minds as to where to even start if it does pass, and likely even longer to decide whether or not to include Aquarium fish to the list. These bills are aimed at invasive species not our hobby.


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

Well said *Joels fish*. :thumb:


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## Hubbynz (May 10, 2008)

wow I would love to have a pair of these guys.....they are not aggressive like their bigger cousins?

Would they be hard to get hold of in Australia?


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## MacFish (Jan 4, 2006)

They may not be quite as nasty as cons but they are o slouch. Since they are difficult to get in North America, I would guess they would be darn near impossible to get is Australia.


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