Just set up and got my convicts in their breeding tank. Theres 4 smaller pink convicts and 2 black convicts. The female ive had since May. The male i just picked up today. They are about 2.5-3" roughly. Any tips? Advice to get them going? Ive got 2 cups in there as caves. Sand for substrate, and a few fake plants. I generally run the temp at 80 degrees. Ill turn it up if need be. Also have 2 small airstones pumping away.
Just got my convicts in thier breeding tank. Tips?
jonclark96
Past CCA President
How big is the tank? Any idea of the gender of the other cons? Unless you have them in a larger tank, the others will be in danger once the pair decides to breed.
No need to keep the temp any higher than 80. I'd even turn it down to 76-77.
No need to keep the temp any higher than 80. I'd even turn it down to 76-77.
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Starting with a group and letting them pair off is a good idea, just be ready to do something with the other four when they do pair off. I'd also have a divider ready once they start to spawn. I've lost more than one female to an aggressive male in a small tank like a 20. There just isn't much room for the female to get away in a 20.
Gotcha. Well the pinks were only a dollar a piece. I got them thinking they may pair but mainly bc my gf wanted them. I was also thinking worst case chuck them in the big tank as feeders, even though noone will probably eat them lol. I was also thinking if the 2 that pair start getting out of hand i can put the female back in the big tank.
How soon should i expect the convicts to pair off?
Also, would it be smart to put the 2 males of the 4 that are left over in the big tank and leave 3 females to the 1 male in the 20?
How soon should i expect the convicts to pair off?
Also, would it be smart to put the 2 males of the 4 that are left over in the big tank and leave 3 females to the 1 male in the 20?
jonclark96
Past CCA President
A 20 isn't big enough for multiple females in my opinion. Once the first pairs off, the others will be in trouble.
Ok, ill move them into the 55 and maybe the other 2 in the 29. Maybe do male/male and female/female so they dont mate.
Any idea how quick they may get to it?
dogofwar
CCA Members
9.3 minutes 
Could be a couple of days...could be a couple of weeks. Have patience...
Matt
Could be a couple of days...could be a couple of weeks. Have patience...
Matt
Spine
Members
Instantly, it starts the second you put a male and female in the same tank.
I would suggest you start looking into other fish you might like to keep that could benefit from being feed convict fry:unsure: Those little buggers can hold their own when it comes to multiplying; they'll put rabbits,mice and even roaches to shame.
ErnieG
Members
I have a breeding pair of hrps if your interested.
9.3 minutes
Could be a couple of days...could be a couple of weeks. Have patience...
Matt
Its been over 10 minutes!!!!!!! Lol i just wanted to get an idea if so i knew when to expect to remove the other fish.
Instantly, it starts the second you put a male and female in the same tank.
I would suggest you start looking into other fish you might like to keep that could benefit from being feed convict fry:unsure: Those little buggers can hold their own when it comes to multiplying; they'll put rabbits,mice and even roaches to shame.
Jack Dempseys? Green Terrors? Not that i have extra room in the bigger tank Im thinking a Texas. (**** petsmart has a little tiger oscar i really like....) All those will eat feeders wont they? Some of my africans may as well i think. Thats what im hoping for though. It seems like everyone is breeding their fish so i figured i may as well try. Convicts were cheap and supposedly the easiest so ill give it a whirl. If i can be sucessful here maybe ill do something like JD's or GT's in the future.
Im a little far from you now. I would be if i was closer, little late now though, already got them. Hopefully they breed. They seem to be getting along so well see.
ErnieG
Members
I have a breeding pair of hrps if your interested.
festaedan
potamotrygon fan
patience is not very necesary when it comes to breeding convicts. I've never bred them my self, but I've heard they breed like crazy. I'd suggest putting the dominant male and the females he seems most interested in (I wouldn't do more than 2 females at once) in the 29 gallon. Scape-wise, I'd say pots and slate would work fine. I'd suggest gravel for the substrate, just because in my opinion, gravel is easier to clean, and if there are fry or eggs in the tank, it is important to keep the tank clean and disease free. Sand works too though. Convicts are great fish if your starting out in breeding. Good luck.
ErnieG
Members
I'm a big convict fan and I have 15+ years experience with them so trust me when I say that all u need is one male and one female. All those females are really uncalled for and they will only be killed in the end when a pair forms.
The 29 already has fish in it, same as the 55. The convicts would probably destroy the fish in the 29 which we cant have. Those are our my expensive and fragile fish.
Ill remove the others once the pair forms. Im 90% the convict i already had is a female but i want to see the 2 blacks pair up to be sure. They sort of swim together. 2 of the pinks are staying together. The tanks still cloudy from the sand or id take a pic.
Ill remove the others once the pair forms. Im 90% the convict i already had is a female but i want to see the 2 blacks pair up to be sure. They sort of swim together. 2 of the pinks are staying together. The tanks still cloudy from the sand or id take a pic.
festaedan
potamotrygon fan
Jack Dempseys? Green Terrors? Not that i have extra room in the bigger tank Im thinking a Texas. (**** petsmart has a little tiger oscar i really like....) All those will eat feeders wont they? Some of my africans may as well i think. Thats what im hoping for though. It seems like everyone is breeding their fish so i figured i may as well try. Convicts were cheap and supposedly the easiest so ill give it a whirl. If i can be sucessful here maybe ill do something like JD's or GT's in the future.[/QUOTE]
Jds are fun to breed, very beautiful fish too. Also, don't buy fish from petsmart, theyre fish are full of nasty diseases. If you are interested in oscars, I have a 7 inch female tiger oscar I'd be willing to part with.
Jds are fun to breed, very beautiful fish too. Also, don't buy fish from petsmart, theyre fish are full of nasty diseases. If you are interested in oscars, I have a 7 inch female tiger oscar I'd be willing to part with.
Im far from you too lol. I dont live in MD anymore. That big of an oscar wouldnt work in my tank though. All my fish are 3" and under.
Petsmart is the only local store really. Ive found theres fish store thats close other than them but havent been there yet. Plus petsmart gives 14 day guarentee on their fish. If it dies bring it back for exchange or refund. Most stores are 1 or 2 days....
Then theres the prices. Most of the time LFS's are move expensive. Not always. Sure they usually have more to choose from. But 8 dollars for a fish i can go to petsmart and pay 3 dollars for? Plus the guarentee petsmart gives? Hate to say it but if a LFS has better quality stock than petsmart than for the more expensive price why not give the guarentee that petsmart gives or better?
Last edited:
jonclark96
Past CCA President
Cichlids of the Americas is in Tampa. He has some of the best stock on the East Coast. It would definitely be worth the drive to pick them up if he has something you like.
I'd really stay away from fish at the big box stores unless you have the means to quarantine and treat any fish you purchase from them. It would seem to me that cheap prices and a long return period are a result of selling sick fish...
I'd really stay away from fish at the big box stores unless you have the means to quarantine and treat any fish you purchase from them. It would seem to me that cheap prices and a long return period are a result of selling sick fish...
