Yeah, I know. "What, convicts spawned? That's not news!"
But I thought it was pretty cool since it's the first time I've seen it.
The male has been trying to get the female to go since they got put in the tank, but she was giving him the cold shoulder. He was actually tearing her up prety bad a few weeks ago so I got some other fish in the tank to act as 'dither fish' of sorts. Since they went in the convicts have stuck together pretty close. Anyway, I've been carving some caves and stuff out of some shale rocks I have in my yard (more like shale boulders in some cases). On tuesday I put big cave into the tank, the convicts claimed it immediately and thursday night I saw them laying and fertilizing eggs. Given the 3-4 day hatch I've heard, they should probably be popping out tonight (sunday) or tomorrow.
Tonight I counted 203 eggs (took a pic and edited it to mark them off as I counted), which is surprising since the convicts are only 2" each. Can't really see it in the pictures, but I can see the black dots in the eggs now, which I'm assuming are the eyes of the fry developing. A few had fugnus'd over since they were laid a couple days ago, but the parents were quick to remove them.
Overall agreession hasn't been that bad. Most of the other fish in the tank stay away, and if they do get close the parent that isn't in the cave will chase off the intruder. They take turns in/out of the cave fairly regularly. Every few minutes there is a shift change. They have about a cubic foot of the 55 gallon claimed as their personal space.
I'm thinking I will be removing the fry to a 20 gallon to grow out once they are free swimming. With all of the other fish in the tank, I can't see the parents being able to protect them all. Easier to protect a cave than half an aquarium, and I'd rather not see the convicts really start tearing up their tank mates trying to keep order.
I'll put up some more pics once they hatch and after they are free swimming. Not sure what I'm gonna do with all the fry. I've heard they are almost impossible to sell, so they might end up being feeder fish for my other cichlids and catfish once they grow a bit.
-Jester
But I thought it was pretty cool since it's the first time I've seen it.
The male has been trying to get the female to go since they got put in the tank, but she was giving him the cold shoulder. He was actually tearing her up prety bad a few weeks ago so I got some other fish in the tank to act as 'dither fish' of sorts. Since they went in the convicts have stuck together pretty close. Anyway, I've been carving some caves and stuff out of some shale rocks I have in my yard (more like shale boulders in some cases). On tuesday I put big cave into the tank, the convicts claimed it immediately and thursday night I saw them laying and fertilizing eggs. Given the 3-4 day hatch I've heard, they should probably be popping out tonight (sunday) or tomorrow.
Tonight I counted 203 eggs (took a pic and edited it to mark them off as I counted), which is surprising since the convicts are only 2" each. Can't really see it in the pictures, but I can see the black dots in the eggs now, which I'm assuming are the eyes of the fry developing. A few had fugnus'd over since they were laid a couple days ago, but the parents were quick to remove them.
Overall agreession hasn't been that bad. Most of the other fish in the tank stay away, and if they do get close the parent that isn't in the cave will chase off the intruder. They take turns in/out of the cave fairly regularly. Every few minutes there is a shift change. They have about a cubic foot of the 55 gallon claimed as their personal space.
I'm thinking I will be removing the fry to a 20 gallon to grow out once they are free swimming. With all of the other fish in the tank, I can't see the parents being able to protect them all. Easier to protect a cave than half an aquarium, and I'd rather not see the convicts really start tearing up their tank mates trying to keep order.
I'll put up some more pics once they hatch and after they are free swimming. Not sure what I'm gonna do with all the fry. I've heard they are almost impossible to sell, so they might end up being feeder fish for my other cichlids and catfish once they grow a bit.
-Jester
