..A Convict Story..

[zekni]

So, months ago, I was given a very plain pair of convicts, and about 60 pinkynail-sized babies. I didn't want convicts, so I seperated the parents, and fed the babies to the stingrays. Felt bad for the 5 surviving fry a few days later, and eventually fished them out. Moved them around a bunch while going back and forth whether I grow them out, or feed them to something, and needless to say, after surviving adult red devils, stingrays, an oscar and various other large cichlids, there were three babies surviving, two males and a female who I'd thrown in a sump to finally get out of the way.
I'd been helping a friend of mine set up her first tank, 50 gallons, and we were going to go with african cichlids when she called me up at the petstore one day wondering if convicts and a jewel cichlid would be okay in her tank. Convicts? Why would anyone want convicts? I told her I had some babies if she wanted them, she could surely have them for free. I gave her a male/female pair along with a jewel cichlid I didn't want.
Fast-forward to now, the male is about 3" and the female about 2.5". I can't believe how pretty this little female turned out, so I snapped pics while I was over there last night. Check these guys out. Keep in mind, these come out of two of the most drab-looking convict parents you ever did see.

 

[TheMightyOscar]

nice!

cons rule

 

[Jason_S]

very nice looking female. cons may be very common and "ordinary" but they can also color up very nicely and jumbo males look cool too.

on a side note, that tank doesn't look very big so I'd tell your friend to keep an eye on the jewel as the cons continue to grow and breed. I'm not sure how safe that jewel will be in there with them.

 

[zekni]

It's a 50 gallon corner tank. We just went rock hunting out in the desert this weekend and glued together a bunch of rock structures to add, along with two african cichlids I got with a group of free fish. That should take some of the punishment off the jewel if they do breed. I've got my friend on the look out for split fins and such, if any one starts having a problem, I have a house full of tanks, so we can rearrange them if neccessary.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54797

 

[Bderick67]

Ya I kinda had same experience, got a bunch free, used 'em as feeders, kept some so I could breed for more feeders. Now I have a con community tank with 3 pairs. I recently redecorated, but while I was tearing down the tank, I had noticed one of my female protecting her cave. Figured that when I removed the cave I'd find some wigglers....not, she had 8 or 9 two week old fry in there that she had kidnapped from another pair. I can't wait until they get there territories established in the new tank, The parenting and community behavior is great to watch.

 

[Jason_S]

It's a 50 gallon corner tank. We just went rock hunting out in the desert this weekend and glued together a bunch of rock structures to add, along with two african cichlids I got with a group of free fish. That should take some of the punishment off the jewel if they do breed. I've got my friend on the look out for split fins and such, if any one starts having a problem, I have a house full of tanks, so we can rearrange them if neccessary.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54797

good, glad to hear there's a backup plan if necessary.

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Whats wrong with Cons?

 

[Ranchu85]

good shizzle

 

[zekni]

Whats wrong with Cons?

Well, there's nothing wrong with them per se.. but I tend to keep less common fish, frontosa, discus, stingrays, ect. Cons are just... too common for my tastes.
To each his own though. The cons above are certainly pretty little fish. The mom is so drab, she barely has any orange to her at all.

 

[Bderick67]

Well, there's nothing wrong with them per se.. but I tend to keep less common fish, frontosa, discus, stingrays, ect. Cons are just... too common for my tastes.
To each his own though. The cons above are certainly pretty little fish. The mom is so drab, she barely has any orange to her at all.

Wow pretty ,but drab