Convict Cichlid Fry

[pica_nuttalli]

i'm just curious because i know it was in Oddballs that i first saw convicts suggested as feeder-machines. i'm just wonder how common a practice this is and what people's experiences have been (both good and bad).

as i mentioned in the "fry=feeder" thread in TCC, the convict parenting experience has always seemed intriguing but i'd never try it because i can't think of an efficient way of, well, disposing of the fry at completion. but a piscavorous tank and a convict breeding tank... that seems like a rather exciting (if bloodthirsty) combo.

 

[Opcn]

I kept a 240 with cons in it, I never fed it enought to grow them on really well as feeders but I moved alot of the fry to a turtle/oscar tank were they grew to be about an inch or so, grew up with the predators so they became fast and cunning prey, any left with the parents were however eaten by other con pairs.

 

[CFC]

I dont use cons but my snakehead pair are pretty prolific breeders so a lot of those end up as feeders, shame really as they sell at £15 a fish in the stores but i can only sell so many out of each 200 plus batch of fry.

 

[Ben]

i do half half

half to the store, half to the fish

with all my cichlid fry
except if it's really hard to breed them, then i'll keep some my self and give some to the shop

DD

 

[digital_run]

I cant give my convicts away...no one takes them, but im perfectly fine with that. Convicts are great fish and if you can provide them with atleast a 29gal tank..then you should to be able to produce a readily available, healthy food for your fish. My 65gal can go through a batch in a short amount of time. I really do it because you see a different side of your fish when they are actually hunting and not just grabbing the sinking pellet.

Ðigital...

p.s - just from my experience get a divider for your breeding tank...I know others never had this problem...but my Male convicts goes from his regular everyday grump into a homicidal maniac once the fry are free swimming and i have to divide them or the female gets it.