Convict Julie

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 5"
• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons   • Water Conditions: 76-82° F, pH 8.5-9.5, KH 15-25
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Lake Tanganyika   • Family: Cichlidae
• Species: African Cichlid   • Aquarium Type: African Cichlid, Rift Lake

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Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, the Convict Julie is a rather timid and peaceful species that can be kept in groups without much aggression. They are beautiful fish with contrasting horizontal lines and marbling of white, browns, and pale to brilliant yellows with caudal and dorsal fins having blue edges while their pectoral and pelvic fins tend to be a translucent yellow coloration.

Convict Julies are a good choice for beginners just getting into the hobby as well as the more advanced aquarists; they are hardy, active, and attractive fish that doesn't cause a lot of trouble. Established in the hobby and a popular species, they are readily available through online and local sources, but are in high demand and certain specimens can fetch a high price.

Convict Julies should be housed in an aquarium of 55 gallons or more and be provided with a fine sand substrate. They should also be provided with plenty of rock formations and live plants for hiding places and shelter similar to their natural environment (this will help fry survive if breeding is of interest); driftwood can also be used and would provide a good medium for certain African plants that have no problem adhering to various surfaces.

The Convict Julie prefers good water movement and enough space to swim around freely without having to turn immediately turn around. They are a relatively peaceful and can be housed with a variety of other tank mates, although they should not be kept with the extremely aggressive species.

The Convict Julie is omnivorous and feeds on invertebrates, insect larvae, mollusks, and crustaceans among the aufwuchs in their natural environment. In the aquarium their diet should consist of a variety of live, frozen, and freeze-dried bloodworms, daphnia, plankton, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp, as well as vitamin-enriched flake foods and pellets. Feed what will be consumed in a few minutes, one to two times daily.

Convict Julies are cave spawners. The female will lay her eggs in a cave and the male with fertilize them soon afterwards; the female will defend and care for the eggs while the male patrols their territory. The fry can be fed and raised on Artemia nauplii.