WHAT IS SHE(?) DOING??

[girl_interrupted]

I had my two black convicts for a few weeks. Everything normal. Then I went to vegas... mom took care of them. I came back and they were both skittish. REALLY jumpy. The big guy is not AS jumpy, but the little one is making mountains of pebbles. And digging under the decor like if theres something under there. Enclosed is a vid. At first u cant see much cuz she hides, but give it a sec and you'll see what I mean... Even trying to get UNDER the decor. I'm like theres nothing under thereeeeeeeeeeee!

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W23RTIXSYmQ[/YT]

if the vid dont work here's the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W23RTIXSYmQ

 

[sick_lid]

She might be digging a nest for breeding. Convicts like to do it, a lot. Plus since you've had them for only a few weeks, they're probably just making it homey. Cichlids love to dig and move substrate to make their little territories.

As for the skiddish part, maybe your mom freaked them out a time or 2, slamming the lid, bumping the tank, etc..

 

[Hernandezj11]

I have convicts myself!
But cichlids are known diggers so keep that in mind. But it looks like she is digger herself a nest. All that swimming around might be her protecting it. Mine had similar characteristics when they spawned

 

[Alexxxxsv14]

theyre probably just preparing a spawn site

 

[fishmamma]

mine do the same thing....they make the tank all messy....but like someone told me.., "that's thier home, not yours" and they were RIGHT!!! anyway I like things to look tidey...so I go and fix it...

 

[cichlid_starter]

Yeah pretty much everyone summed it up though. I like your fish btw.

 

[Miguel4u2]

They are getting ready to lay eggs, If you want to be sure put your hand in and see what happens 8)

 

[girl_interrupted]

thanks guys and NO I won't put my hand in there lol I thought my girly was having mental problems lol

 

[Sab_Fan]

my 3" Texas spends half it's time moving around the gravel in the tank . . . very typical behavior

does your smaller convict have an orange belly? that would mark it as the female, and lend support to everyone who suggested it might be nesting behavior

 

[girl_interrupted]

Yep its a female and has an orange belly... thats why. AND I CHECKED THIS MORNING.. IM A GRANDMOTHER :')