Convict Breeding

[jpcqw]

hi guys,

I bought two convicts, one male one female from different shops that are about 2 1/2 inches and they have a 3 foot tank to them selfs and I wanted to know if they are breeding. they flare up at eachother. shes not really hiding. tail slapping??? females egg tube is down and her tummys is abit more bloated then normal. they are digging a cave under a flat rock. I have sand as substrate a clay pot and afew rocks. male is digging every where too. They follow eachother. oh forgot to say she has had her tube down for about 2-3 days?.

Thanks

just noticed the male cleaning the rocks and digging together more

males been bitting? and rubbing body alod the outside of clay pot. many just ichy..

 

[Hermithall]

I'd say they are definitely breeding/about to breed, you'll have a tankful of babies in no time!

 

[minnnt]

Welcome to the forum! It sounds very much like they're starting to prepare for spawning.

And you got the correct section

 

[Westwood]

As said, does sound like breeding behavior.

Congratulations!

 

[jpcqw]

my females mosty in the claypot now eating or cleaning the inside of it

 

[minnnt]

Yep, she is preparing the site by cleaning it with her mouth. She will lay her eggs, then the male will follow her and fertilise them, then it will be constant fanning duties mainly for the mum, but the dad will help out from time to time. The males purpose is usually to defend the territory.

What ever you don't add any other fish as they will more than like be killed by the parents. Convicts are such good parents that they will do anything to defend their young, even if it means killing a much larger fish.

Also, don't be alarmed if they get it wrong and the eggs dissapear. This is quite usual with a new pairing.

 

[minor confusion]

convicts are the rabbits of the fish world... add a male and a female to good water conditions and in a few weks you have babies.. mine bearly let the fry reach 3 weks befor theres another lil site of fresh eggs wriggeling about in a random corner of the tank.

fry are stupid, make sure you have an apropriate filter that wont suck them up. feding can be a tricky process if you want to keep water clean, especially wiht a limited choice of flter types, so try and feed verry spairingly/as often as you can to keep from poluting and try and feed the adults and fry seperatly (ie different foods) i find taking them out at around 6mm long and transfering to another tank keps both the fry safe and the parents happy aswell as keeps the tanks clean.

gotta love waking up to babies

 

[jpcqw]

yeah. thanks for the help. Im certain that they will lay soon the egg tube is twice the size now....little scarry :

 

[Josh!]

Just make sure you know what you're going to do with the fry once grown as barely anyone seems to want convicts!

 

[talisker]

everytime my females tube is down is normally about 4 days and the there are eggs

 

[jpcqw]

she has laid eggs!! about 100 or so in the clay pot. I think the male has done his thing but I thought I saw him eat one?

 

[minor confusion]

it looks like they are eating them, they give them a little wash and move them quite often

 

[jpcqw]

its been about 20 hours since the eggs were laid and they still look cloudy white!! does this mean they are duds..?

 

[minnnt]

If they're white then yes. Probably the male didn't do his job right.

 

[jpcqw]

i took one of the eggs out just incase and look at it in the light and it has a olivie colour to it not white. is this alright?