Convict Tank

[Harry Tolen]

gsk177: I was actually replying to the previous post by CCchaos regarding his 20 gallon tank. I must have stopped mid-reply and wandered away from the computer to do something (like move the Python hose to another tank), and then come back and hit "post" after you had written and posted your reply. At which point it looked like I was commenting on the dimensions of your own 20g, which I was not. Sorry for the confusion.

SnakeIce: although it may be different now, the last time I measured the dimensions of a 20 tall tank it was in fact just a double-stacked 10g; the fact stuck with me at the time precisely because I thought it was such a silly idea. Do I remember how long ago that was, or even what city I was living in when it happened? No. I am glad that they have made them slightly more practical in the meantime, but if the 20 tall tanks they have today are 1/3 shorter than back then, they still only have the footprint of a 13.33g tank, which, as you noted, is still too small for a pair of convicts.

A 55 gallon tank would, in my opinion, be the best size for a pair of convicts, but if you don't have room for that then a 29g is probably marginally suitable. Although you are still going to have trouble raising the fry in such cramped quarters.

 

[SnakeIce]

I think I have heard of those extra tall 20s and was likewise struck with how rediculous that shape is.

the standard 20 tall is 24x12x16, and the 20 long, 30x12x12 has the same foot print as the standard 29, 30x12x18.
.

 

[N8DOGG]

my male is about 5 1/2 inches and my female is around 2 inches so im not sure if the 10 gallon would work

There is the answer go at least a 20L then. IF the male were about the same size as the female then it would work.

 

[gsk177]

I have had my pair of breeders together for almost 1 year in my 20g. Neither one is quite 2 inches long and they lay eggs and hatch fry all the time.
In fact, Ive even had them hatch new eggs while still having a COMPLETE batch of 30 or so fry in the tank with them.
When normally the pair would fend off other fish from their eggs, they seem confused when it comes to protecting new eggs from their existing children. The second batch only grew about 7 healthy fry that made it to maturity.
At one time, and I hate to tell this on myself, I had the 2 breeders, about 20 fry from spawn 1 and about 7 more from a second spawn. Since Ive now relocated the tank, I completely emptied the tank of all fry and just left the two breeders....that was one week ago......again, I have more eggs as of this morning.

In short, I am forced to conclude that 2 breeders of 2inches or so in length are quite suited to a 20g tank of whatever common size.