Convict breeding

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A

Anthony Williams

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 1, 2012
50
0
0
California
I hear Convicts are the easiest cichlids to breed. I have an established pair and for about 3 weeks the female has been inside of their chosen cave at all times, only coming out to grab a few bites to eat. The male has cleared the entire half of a 5ft long 100 gallon tank. He is about 4 inches and the female is about 2.5. Just recently they up and abandoned their cave and have been swimming about the tank together (possibly in search of a more suitable breeding site?) and only go back into the cave randomly and not for very long. Any thoughts or suggestions? Could the tank be a little too crowded maybe?

Current stock:

1 Red Devil (male) - 9 inches
1 Festae Red Terror (female) - 4.5 inches
1 Red Jewel (female) - 3 inches
2 Green Terror (male and female) - 3.5 inches a piece
2 Sveni Pike (sexes unknown) - 4.5 inches and 3 inches
2 Jack Dempsey (sexes unknown) - 4 inches and 3.5 inches
2 Convicts - (male and female) 4 inches and 2.5 inches

Now I know I can't keep this stock together for long but for now everything is all good. I have extra tanks and supplies on standby just in case any problems occur. But for now everybody lives peacefully aside form the average chasing and fighting that comes with cichlid keeping.
 
the tank is well an truly overcrowded, even with the fish being juveniles. sorry to be the fun police, i know when these guys are smaller it seems like a great idea to fill the tank but it really does cause issues, especially with breeding pairs. convicts will usually breed anywhere so the chances are they will breed soon but dont expect the fry to last more than a couple of days, you will merely be providing food for the other tank inhabitants
 
clayton1985 said:
the tank is well an truly overcrowded, even with the fish being juveniles. sorry to be the fun police, i know when these guys are smaller it seems like a great idea to fill the tank but it really does cause issues, especially with breeding pairs. convicts will usually breed anywhere so the chances are they will breed soon but dont expect the fry to last more than a couple of days, you will merely be providing food for the other tank inhabitants
Click to expand...

Yea I know. Not all of these fish are permanent. I do plan to remove the fry as best as I can once they do breed. I would like to breed my convicts to use the fry as feeders in a separate tank, so I wouldn't be too upset if the other fish did eat them all. I'll be setting up a breeder tank for the convict pair soon.
 
I would keep the convict breeding in a sperate tank.........When convicts breed, they tend to take over the whole tank.......They rip up fins and strees out the others in the community..........
 
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