Convict pair fighting.

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Randys

Randys

Polypterus
MFK Member
Nov 3, 2015
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Traverse City, Michigan
I've got a mated pair of convicts in a 30 gallon by themselves. They've been getting along great until not long after their 2nd spawn and the male decided to severely beat the hell out of the female. She was hovering behind the heater close to death before I was able to get a divider in the tank. Now the fry are hanging out with dad on his end of the tank and the female is staying inside of a rock pile on hers. I dosed the tank with salt hoping to help her heal. It was touch and go for a day but I think she may recover.
What should my next step be? Will they be able to get along in the future or has the male written her of completely? It wasn't too long ago that she took a fairly good size chunk out of HIS tail. Those little buggers are rough on each other.
 
Randys said:
I've got a mated pair of convicts in a 30 gallon by themselves. They've been getting along great until not long after their 2nd spawn and the male decided to severely beat the hell out of the female. She was hovering behind the heater close to death before I was able to get a divider in the tank. Now the fry are hanging out with dad on his end of the tank and the female is staying inside of a rock pile on hers. I dosed the tank with salt hoping to help her heal. It was touch and go for a day but I think she may recover.
What should my next step be? Will they be able to get along in the future or has the male written her of completely? It wasn't too long ago that she took a fairly good size chunk out of HIS tail. Those little buggers are rough on each other.
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I would keep seperate with the divider until atleast female fully recovered. The male probably was ready to spawn again and the female wasn't.
 
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Okay, I've given her the past month on her own and she's recovered 100%. Her tail has grown back and is eating and looking great. It's amazing how her tail came back after it was nothing but a bloody stump. Changing the water every two or three days worked wonders.

I thought I would pull the divider tonight and within minutes he had her cowering in the top corner again. Is it possible they will never get along anymore? I've still got fry in the tank. How does this affect the situation? Would it be best if I removed the fry?
 
I would remove the fry. They won’t help the situation any. But cichlids have a way of deciding they no longer like each other or certain fish. So still watch them close even if you remove the fry.
 
eh, tough to keep a convict pair together without this happening in a small tank like a 30. I'd divide and give her time to heal, then change things up in the tank big time and take divider out at same time, keep an eye on them, put back and take out as necessary.
 
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That sounds like a plan.

I put the divider back in and when I get some free time I'll remove the rock piles and fry.
Then I'll rearrange everything completely.
Who knows, maybe this guy won't be happy with anyone else in this little 30 gallon tank.
He IS a handsome devil though. It wouldn't be the end of the world if he was alone in the tank and my little buddy. I've got the tank in my man cave in the basement and he's always happy to see me! LOL
 
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that's the best way to think about it. Maybe it will work out with the female, but if not, might be best to keep him solo, sounds like he's a cool lil fish
 
I'd remove (or divide) the male, allowing the female to tend the fry.
This situation is very common for almost all cichlids, especially in small tanks.
That said, I usually remove the male, in 100 gal tanks.
In nature the males would just go out and find another receptive female, but in the confines of a tank, the elevated spawning hormones take over, often destroying the female and fry.
 
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Ya, it's surprising and entertaining to watch but he's a very good dad so far.
Most of the fry hang out on his side of the tank with him. I'm assuming mostly because that's where the cave is where they were hatched. Sometimes they'll venture over to see mom but not that often. It fun to see him rub his belly into the sand to stir up food for the fry.
 
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