Male convict getting rough with female

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rabbithearted

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 14, 2012
155
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Michigan
My convicts, male and female seem to be very attached to each other. They are constantly together in the tank and live with several Africans who they get along amazing with. They haven't laid eggs yet but the male will do his dance in front of her and she basically ignores him. But the last few days he has been getting pretty rough with her when she ignores him, and I know I've read it a million times that the male convicts will often kill the females that don't show the interest in mating.

Would it be in their best interest to separate them before he gets to mean with her? or am I going to be just being mean doing this with them being attached to each other. I go them not knowing the sexes, but thinking they were both males. I would honestly prefer to not have babies but I'd rather do what is best for them.
 
It is possible you have 2 males,a good way of telling if you have a female con is the female will have an orange belly. if this continues separate or bring one back to the store.
 
Well I know they are a male and female, orange belly on the one and the male is very dark. Already had asked on here a few months back to make sure I was right once they both started growing and their coloring was beginning to show. This morning when I woke up and went over to turn their light on, they were both in the same pot together just sitting there. It's mainly at night that he will do his dances, and chase her around the tank. The rest of the day they swim around together and will sit together near the fake plants. When they get separated in the tank and then see each other, they will swim for each other all fast. I would try to get pictures of him doing the 'dance' but it's hard to get a photo when it's so random and it happens so fast and then he's off chasing her. But it isn't the 'dance' that they do when they are trying to be aggressive with the other fish, no pushing of water with their tail, no gills flaring up. Just a little wiggle and then they are off.

Just asking about the aggression because he's a lot bigger than she is, and it's s orandom when he will get rough and go after her and nip at her. Then they are fine again.


my female: (sorry it's blurry, she's very shy)

DSC_1097.JPG

My male:

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DSC_1097.JPG
 
I have 3 pairs of convicts short body,marble and the reg stripe ones..and right now they all have either eggs or fry cant remember when they didnt have any.lol they are just going throught the motions soon you will have lots of them. one of my males is 5 inches while the female is only 2.they can be a little rough sometimes,but they are tough fish and she can handle it.
 
Ive bred several pairs of convicts before and never had to seperate the parents from eachother, just parents from the fry. It is common for the male to be aggressive towards the female when they dont have fry so they arent busy parenting. I would still keep an eye on them though. He may not kill the female directly but if he gets her stressed out things can get out of hand, and often other fish may pick up on that and get aggressive as well. If she isnt showing any damage or stress I wouldnt worry, but if she does, you may need to seperate them for a while.
 
normal for convicts to be like this, my old pair hated each other one minute and then the next they were best of buddies and were guarding eggs, i wouldn't worry about it unless the female is getting a battering, convicts are robust fish :)
 
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