Question about breeding Convicts for feeders?

[PaiLum92]

I want to breed Convict Cichlids as feeders for my Jaguar. I have a few questions.

- What is the ideal/minimun tank size for breeding convicts?
- What size tank should i put the fry in? What should i feed the fry?
- How can i determine which convicts are male or female, or if they would be compatable to breed?
- What is the best water temp?
- Should i add salt, etc to the water, to encourage breeding?
- How long/often should the tank lights be on? Should they be bright, or dim?
- Do they need a lot of cover/deco? Or will an open tank with a few flat rocks/clay pots work?

Any other advice?

Thanks...

 

[Community Disorganizer]

- What is the ideal/minimun tank size for breeding convicts?

Ideally, they should be housed in a 30 gallon, but you could get by with less.



- What size tank should i put the fry in? What should i feed the fry?

Keep the fry with their parents for a week or two. Convicts are excellent parents and will keep their fry healthy and secure. When you remove the fry, the parents will most likely spawn again in a few days.You can feed them brine shrimp or crush up flakes.


- How can i determine which convicts are male or female, or if they would be compatable to breed?

Easy. The males are bigger and have longer fins. The females are smaller and have orange on their undercarriages. Add a male, female and water and they WILL breed.


- What is the best water temp?


For breeding, I would say 80-84.


- Should i add salt, etc to the water, to encourage breeding?

Not necessary.


- How long/often should the tank lights be on? Should they be bright, or dim?

12 on, 12 off is fine. Lighting as usual will suffice. Cons are anything but picky.


- Do they need a lot of cover/deco? Or will an open tank with a few flat rocks/clay pots work?

Ideally, you should provide them with a form of cover; a cave or a flowerpot. If none is available, the female will lay her eggs on the substrate.

Any other advice?

Give them their privacy, and have fun. If you want to watch their parental behavior, I would recommend on acquiring a target fish. They will easily provide hours of entertainment!

 

[brich999]

+1 got pretty much effecting covered here. I don't remember where i heard it but some said all needed to have convicts breed, 2 fish and water, they will take care of the rest

 

[brich999]

Everything*

 

[Community Disorganizer]

Yes I have a breeding pair of cons with 2 week old fry in the tank. It seems their protection has an expiration date; as they only care for them so long, then ignore them. So I removed the fry and placed them with a betta, and now the parents laid more eggs!