Convict sexing/Mating behavior

[JustinDavis]

Well recently I decided to try and breed some Convicts and I wanted to make sure I have a pair also if this tank set up was good for them, but my main question was how long until they start showing mating behavior or when they will mate. Right now all they do is sit in the middle of the tank and every now and then the male will flair up and chase her around. Any help will be much appreciated! Almost forgot I didn't take a picture of the female since I'm pretty sure it is a female since she has orange along her under belly is this correct?

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone,
Justin

Suspected Male

Tank

 

[cacichlids]

You can't tell anything from that pic, put it in the water and take another one. But you're right, females have an orange belly and males don't.

The tank looks fine and Convicts don't need anything specific to start breeding, if they're male/female you should have eggs in no time.

 

[RonnieRon1]

X-2 the female has orange on the belly/side male dont, good luck!!

 

[JustinDavis]

Thanks for the tips if it's only females with orange then the suspected male is a male! So I got a a pair, any idea how long it takes for them to lay eggs? I know convicts breed quickly but any idea how long until I can expect eggs?

 

[Kaosu]

Well if you just got them i would say anywhere from a week to a month and you should see eggs^_^

good luck!

i love watching my cons breed......what are you going to be doing with all the fry?. I use mine as feeders.

 

[JustinDavis]

Well if you just got them i would say anywhere from a week to a month and you should see eggs^_^

good luck!

i love watching my cons breed......what are you going to be doing with all the fry?. I use mine as feeders.

I was going to give them away for free on MFK, only gonna charge for shipping supplies I'll have no need for the feeders until everything get's bigger.

 

[Dispatch273]

When I got my pink cons it only took them 2-3 weeks to spawn, right now they are on their second spawn. I'm sure the second spawn would have come earlier but the male tried to kill the female and took her tail off so she was in a hospital tank for about 2 weeks healing. After I put them back together it only took one week for them to spawn again. Their first batch of fry are 5 weeks old.

 

[JustinDavis]

Just bumping this for a quick question, is it normal for them to be bullying on each other? The male and female are missing some spots on their tails...

 

[MonteSS]

Yes Cons and all Cichlids can be rough on each other before, during, and between spawns.

That tank is really too small for spawning Cons, especially as they mature.

Do a 50% water change with slightly cooler water. That usually helps stimulate them.

When they do spawn, I would remove the male so no one gets hurt or killed.

GL....Bill

 

[Squirtle919]

Cons will spawn fast!! I had 4 1m-3F in a 20G why waiting for there new tank, a pair was formed with in 3 days of moving in the other 2 females moved out and I have fry so 3 weeks total! I did not notice any fighting between the pair only the GTS housed next to them, I did also leave the male in with the female if this is a good idea or not I can not say mine seem fine with one another the female is near the main spawning site why the male is cracking the kung fu up on the glass why the GTs just sit there! This is just my personal experience.

IMO the tank should be fine for a good time, the larger the tank the more fry you can expect but depending on the size of course.

anyways good luck!