Is this normal...?

[bmxer4ever]

I've had about 6 spawnings in my Convict tank within the last 3 weeks(!) but havn't had any fry survive...or so I thought.
Noticed yesterday, when the latest 2 spawnings occured, that they're were fry darting about the gravel in a cave next to some new eggs! Tried to siphon them out, but couldn't get any.
Then something caught my eye in the gravel at the front of the tank up against the glass...fry in the gaps between the gravel! Noticed about half a dozen, seemed to be of varying sizes.
Managed to move some of the gravel and siphoned 6 of them out and put them in a little tank by themselves. The substrate in the Convict tank consists of fairly large gravel (1/4"-1/2" - came with the tank when I adopted it from a neighbour) with finer stuff put in around my plant roots.
Could the fry from the previous spawnings be hiding out in the larger gravel? Is this something cichlid fry do? I'm new to them, so don't know.
Should I just leave them to it? I take it they're feeding off little bits of food that drop down there...

 

[ammerman19]

I believe this is normal. When I had Jewel Cichlid fry they would do the same thing. If I was a tiny little guy and afraid of getting eaten I would also hide out in the smallest place I could get too.

 

[bmxer4ever]

Thanks for the reply. Just had a look round the side of the tank and sure enough - a whole bunch of little guys hidin in the gravel there too. Guess I'm just gonna have to leave them to it and hope for the best. At least I know where they went now!

 

[gomezladdams]

Yes when the parents go to spawn again the chase away/eat the previous brood,the youngsters hide where they can

 

[bmxer4ever]

Yes when the parents go to spawn again the chase away/eat the previous brood,the youngsters hide where they can

Thanks for replying. The weird thing is, some of the fry are swimming about BESIDE the new eggs and the parents seem to be looking after them as well! That's not normal, is it?

 

[Scuzzy19]

They are very good parents my buddy has pink convicts and they male still takes care of his brood after a month of them being born and as far as I know still protects them and they are about a quarter of an inch long now

 

[thebestincali2000]

cons r good parents

 

[skiwez]

Hi sorry for the semi-hijack,

but my cons jsut bred for the first time, and the eggs made it to wiggler stage, but the parents not sure whether mom or dad ate them.

Could it be that the tank was too empty for them? The Female would beat up the male mercilessly if he came anywhere near the eggs/wigglers.

params are all zero nitrates 10ppm temp 82, tank 20 gallons. Only inhabitants are the 2 cons?

Cheers