convict breeding help pls

[v3n0m]

yeah my bet would be on the pleco eating the eggs before you see them, i would move him to another tank

im gonna try to move him for a while, now that i think about it... a couple of weeks ago when i went over to turn their lights on that pleco hauled @ss out of a clay pot that my oldest pair pretty much occupies, wouldnt the convicts run him off though? i mean he seems to be just a big wuss, ive never seen him act in any way aggressive. seems they would just run him off. im gonna try to get him out though and see what happens, thnx for your help

 

[Gruff Master]

The reason that I mentioned plecos is because I had the same problem several years ago. I had a breeding pair of cons and jacks and when they would lay their eggs, they would be gone over night. I caught the pleco darting away from the jacks' clutch of eggs one night. It had eaten the jack and con eggs. The pairs attacked it but the pleco still got all the eggs anyway. So I no longer keep plecos. They eat eggs and they make more mess than they're worth. Remember, Cons get very aggressive when breeding. Two pairs in a 90 gal. will be a mean force against most fish. Keep a close eye on their tankmates. They will be attacked as the cons take their fry around the tank to feed. It doesn't really matter how tough their tankmates are, convicts will viciously protect their young.

 

[Chicklette]

It will happen. Just give them some time. I have a 75 gallon with just cons and it took them a while to start breeding but caves also help.

 

[v3n0m]

The reason that I mentioned plecos is because I had the same problem several years ago. I had a breeding pair of cons and jacks and when they would lay their eggs, they would be gone over night. I caught the pleco darting away from the jacks' clutch of eggs one night. It had eaten the jack and con eggs. The pairs attacked it but the pleco still got all the eggs anyway. So I no longer keep plecos. They eat eggs and they make more mess than they're worth. Remember, Cons get very aggressive when breeding. Two pairs in a 90 gal. will be a mean force against most fish. Keep a close eye on their tankmates. They will be attacked as the cons take their fry around the tank to feed. It doesn't really matter how tough their tankmates are, convicts will viciously protect their young.

i really hate to get rif of my pleco, but, im dead set on breeding some fishso hes gotta go i guess, and you are right, when i got him i figured hed be a help, but i find my self doing alot more water changes since hes been in, very very messy fish indeed.

 

[v3n0m]

im also not 100 percent sure about the sex of my fish so im gonna put some pics up here in a minute of my oldest pair, they are the only ones not being camera shy tonight... the pics arent too great, but maybe they can help a lil....they will be up in minute

 

[v3n0m]

i know these probably wont help much due to the quality but here it goes...

im trying to take better ones as we speak, again sry for the quality

the 2 that are pictured im pretty sure are male and female, they always stay together at that pot and defend the area as a pair, they do everything together. i know its prolly hard to tell what they are here but what do ya think?

 

[knifegill]

Good-looking cons.

Glad you figured out the pleco thing.

Once he's gone, you'll have a feeder factory in no time. GL!

 

[v3n0m]

Good-looking cons.

Glad you figured out the pleco thing.

Once he's gone, you'll have a feeder factory in no time. GL!

i sure hope so man, thanks for the reply

 

[v3n0m]

i noticed on my younger pair that what i thought was the male ( the one with long flowing anal and dorsal fins) actually has red blotches on both sides. and what i thought was the female has blunt fins compared to the other con and no red or orange on the sides at all? wth?...i was under the impression that the male had long anal and dorsal fins and no red or orange blotches on the sides of the stomach area, and the females has somewhat blunt anal and dorsal fins and had the orange or red blotches of color on the side.... is this not an accurate way to sex convicts?...im trying to get a pic now of the one with the really long fins but red on the sides so i can get some input

 

[knifegill]

They aren't hard and fast rules. Some females get long finnage and some males get color. With four cons, there's a really good chance you'll get a pair.