Convicts as feeders?

[Lokasenna]

I’ll be moving into a house soon and my roommates are interested in setting up a feeder tank for their turtles. Originally they had planned on going with guppies but I’m toying with the idea of trying out convicts. Has anyone else attempted this?

I’ve kept convicts before so I’m very familiar with the frequency and tenacity at which they breed, but I’ve never tried to bring the babies to a substantial level of growth. I know the convicts will practice parental care up to a point, then eat the babies to make room for another batch. I’m still trying to formulate a game plan to maximize the amount of feeders I can get. I’ve toyed with the idea of placing a pair of breeding convicts in a 60g and simply seeing what happens. I assume there would be enough room for the babies to hide and grow up on their own.

What do you guys think? Are there easier fish to try to raise as feeders?

 

[wolfcichild027]

id stick with guppies do to theyre high reproductive rate ive breed guppies in one of those plastic tubs called Kritter keepers extremely easy to breed plus ive had convicts and see them more as pets than feeders

 

[turdburgler]

I have used convics a feeders in the past for larger cichlids. I would do it if I were you. If the turtle tank is big enouph, Throw a batch of babies in with some good hiding places and you will have breeding pairs living with the turtles as well.

 

[happysnapper]

I feed my dovii african cichlids,my brothers breed every month it seems like,

 

[Mystix212]

It would be wise to seperate the fry from the parents after they start to get 'abandoned' by the parents. Then you may want to divide 25 gallons of the tank and throw them in that side. Wait for them to be fat and juicy then send them off into the acids and biles of a turtles belly.

 

[Lokasenna]

It would be wise to seperate the fry from the parents after they start to get 'abandoned' by the parents. Then you may want to divide 25 gallons of the tank and throw them in that side. Wait for them to be fat and juicy then send them off into the acids and biles of a turtles belly.

Yeah, working a divider into the breeding schedule seems like a wise choice. In your opinion, how long would it take a newly hatched convict to reach "bite size" for turtles/large fish?

 

[killerfish]

breed the cons there bigger and would be a better meanl for turtles they are smarter then guppys and would be more of a challenge for the turtles to catch but thats okay

con fry grow pretty fast i'd say in around 2 weeks the fry will be close to 1'' and would be bite sized