Convict 3-Way

[Cybercyde]

While I'm sure it's happened before, it's amusing to watch.

~4"+ male has roped himself a pair of ~1.75" females into one pot. Both females have dropped tubes, and considering that they're convicts, are getting along suprisingly well. Read - the sub female is only missing 1-2 scales, fins are mostly nip free.

I had the females solo for a good while before adding the male. The moment he hit the water the pair went spastic. Postured up and vibrating like magic finger beds. Took about 3 hours to work it out of their system. Initially thought I'd have to remove one (They set their camps at opposite ends of a 55), but they're currently running around the tank with the male as a trio.

Anyone else have a pair of females and a male spawn in the same spot simultaniously?

I honestly expected to have to pull one or all of them, but so far so good. Just odd to see non-aggressive breeding convicts. Not so much an if, but when they spawn, I'll send the male back into retirement. One less large mouth to tear into other fish. I'll try and snag a picture before they spawn/change their minds about behaving.

 

[elting44]

Very cool

I am willing to bet that once one of the females lays eggs, the females will change thier attitudes toward each other, and the male may kick one of them to the curb so to speak.

Keep us posted

 

[Cybercyde]

Agreed.

There's a bit more bickering at the moment, but nobody's biting. Just the open mouth "bump" once in a while. Haven't seen any of the typical "search and destroy" behavior where they'll rip all over a tank and bring home a chunk of fin just to prove they can.

I suppose one thing in my favor is the females are evenly matched. They're more or less identical in size and build.

I'm currently looking at both females inverted in the same clay pot with the male waiting for his turn. Still confusing to see them behaving.

 

[bolivianbaby]

I had a male convict with his own harem a while back. He had 3 females all in a 55g. Three spawns going at any given time.

The girls would argue, claim territory, and he'd "visit" each one. He was one very happy fish.

 

[elting44]

Wow, if they are both laying a clutch of eggs at the same time in the same place, it will be interesting to see how this plays out!!!


Reminds me of Marge's sisters from the simpsons!!! :

You kept the without a mate so long they dont mind sharing

 

[Cybercyde]

lol. So far I've watched the females lay in unison, and in seperate spots. Per Bolivian's, male's just doing his thing. In the pot, on the pot, behind the pot, under an arch... It figures I'd net out a champion when I was just looking to spark a bit of competition.

A couple shots of the fish in question.

Pulled the male as a bit of a side experiment to see how large the nuchial hump would go in the middle of a growout. (lots of feedings, lots of fresh water) He's low on the food chain in the other tank, as the fins show.

Substrate is Tahitian Moon, what you see in the front is an algea wafer buffet soon to be cleaned up during a wc.

 

[Cybercyde]

Currently have 2-3 sets of eggs. Smallish set inside the pot, 1 on the back, and 1 under the arch. Females are actually rotating gaurd duty. Male is calm atm, nobody's really chasing. They've only claimed about 1/4 of the tank so far.

Suprisingly, the male's still front and center for feedings. Usually for me they always stop eating they're watching eggs.

Dempsey snacks inbound. ^_^

 

[Cybercyde]

Dominant female's back down to pre-spawn coloring, no longer nearly blacked out. Second female's lightened up a bit as well, but she's no longer on gaurd duty. Not getting chased so long as she's 5-7" away from the pot.

The dempseys aren't bothered, and the Danios come and go as they please. Right up to the lid of the pot, and even swimming behind it. Curious to see how it goes as I should have wrigglers in a few hours or by morning.

The only thing getting chased off is the pleco, and even then, not the normal hunter-killer pursuit.

 

[Cybercyde]

Female ate the clutch, not overly suprised. I dropped in about 2 dozen 1/2" long fry from another tank and got quite a show out of it. ^_^

Changed out the male for a smaller convict - The large one started getting nippy.

Females have colored back up to nearly jet black. It's round 2.

 

[wl123]

Nice convict