Pink convict cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

Pink convicts also go by white convict and gold convict, and they are nearly as common in shops as the striped fish. With the bars gone, the usual quick read on mood by bar contrast is unavailable. Sexing falls back on the female's orange belly flush. Shade runs from near white to warm peach between suppliers.

In the wild

The pink form was bred in captivity and is not found in Central American streams. The mode of inheritance is documented, but no breeder, country or decade is on record for who first fixed the line. Fish also appear on lists under the name Amatitlania nigrofasciata Kongo.

Good to know

The leucistic mutation is autosomal and recessive. Two pinks breed true, while a pink crossed to a striped fish gives striped fry carrying the gene. Dark pigment is reduced across the body, which is what removes the vertical bars, but the eye stays dark, so this is not albinism. Females still develop the orange belly patch.

Common questions

Related species

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  Seven-band convict

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  4.7 in (12 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)

• 

  T-bar cichlid

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• 

  Honduran red point cichlid

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• 

  Topaz convict cichlid

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  3.9 in (10 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)

• 

  Golden dwarf convict

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• 

  Bumblebee cichlid

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