Convicts and dithers.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Randys

Randys

Polypterus
MFK Member
Nov 3, 2015
486
470
87
Traverse City, Michigan
i had an old 30 gallon acrylic tank laying around so thought it would be fun to set it up in my man cave and purchase a couple of convicts. I've read for years how quickly they will over run a tank with their fry but figured I need to experience it at least once. I set it up with two nice big rock piles and bought a male and a female from Petsmart three days ago. Well, three days ago was the last time I saw them. The second I dropped them in the tank they instantly disappeared into the rocks never to be seen again!
Now I've been around for enough years to know they just need some time. No big deal.
Then today I was driving by Petsmart and started wondering about buying some dithers. I've read many many times about the concept of dithers and thought maybe I'd give it a try, sorta my own personal experiment. I walked into the store with the idea of buying the cheapest fish they had. Well lo and behold they had tiger barbs on sale for $1.49 each. I bought a half dozen (even though I've never believed in mixing continents).
When I got home I put the tiger barbs in the tank and the female came out almost instantly. She started schooling with the barbs. She swam at full speed up and down the full length of the tank with the barbs. It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen. Then even the male came out about an hour later.
I guess dither really DO work. LOL
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jexnell and tlindsey
Give them a little time and you will have fry coming out of your ears. Tens days after getting the pair I had they had their first spawn, four weeks later their second.
Best of luck to you, and post up some pics when you get a chance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey
Lol there is the rest of the post. XD

Yeah the tigers are gonna get offed when they start breeding but I’m glad it worked out for ya
 
I got the Convicts to make clean feeders for my Oscar, and JDs
The first batch was about 2 weeks old, then I had to move. I wasn't gonna try and catch all them fry. So Toni got to eat them.
20171017_182657(0).jpg
20171019_181151.jpg

The second batch was eaten by a Spotted Raphael catfish right after hatching.
I don't have the cons anymore. My son's mother has a 40b with a mess of Platties in it. She wanted them to control the population of the tank (she started with 6, now has like 40 of them)
So I went and got a pair of Jewel cichlids to fill the now empty 29g, 4days later another clutch of eggs.
20171204_193636.jpg

And either the parents or my Blue Phantom pleco ate them batch over night tho.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom