Convict Cichlid Help Needed (ASAP)

[terrell]

Hi, i have a pair of convict cichlid who bred and fought so i removed the female who had been beaten up by the male and now she's all healed and doing great her fins, tail and everything is back. Earlier today I added her back with the male in their 40g. Stocking - 1 3cm BN Pleco, and the cichlid "pair". LOTS OF HIDING SPACES! I added the female because she was VERY coloured up and showing breeding signs, her health is also amazing. The male started dancing next to the female as soon as I added her back, and I was happy thinking they were going to breed. Now I came back and checked 3ish hrs later and the male is chasing the female, the female is hiding and swimming away from the male. The male just flares and goes at the female but I haven't observed any nipping. All I saw was one tiiiiny nip on the females tail but nothing to worry about. Now I need help knowing the following things.

- Is the male trying to kill her? (They're only 3 inches and have a whole 40g to themselves)
- Is the male trying to breed?
- Is such chasing and "nipping" normal during breeding?
- Will they ever breed again?
- And what further actions should I take if the male continues doing this to the female?

If you haven't understood the first part of what I said (my apologies im rushing this because I don't want my female to be hurt if this is bad) please check my previous forum.

Thank you and any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[GaryE]

Convicts are white knuckle fish. They are stressful to keep if they decide to breed.

He is not trying to kill her. She has entered his turf. The next time, remove him, give her the tank, then reintroduce him. Then, no one owns the turf comfortably, and they might, maybe, could be less violent.

The chasing and nipping is what aggressive river Cichlids do. If they pass each others' nasty tests, they will breed again, and again, and again.

If the male begins to do visible and serious harm, then they are not a good pair, and will need to be split for her safety. Probably, for good. But the white knuckle part is the stress of seeing how they sort it out. These are not gentle fish. There are hundreds of Cichlid species whose behaviour is far more interesting and less stressful than those ones.

 

[Mazain]

Convicts do well with alot of cover by plants, lights and outdoors in ponds and cycled tanks with livebearers. A 20 gallon tank would be ideal 2 x 2 feet tanks with plants if you want the convicts to breed fast. Once spawned its advisable to move the fry away from the parents for a better adulthood. The marbles and convicts are extremely good in blending with plants and having a stable habitat. Their nuchal humps grow in those well cycled tanks.

 

[terrell]

Convicts are white knuckle fish. They are stressful to keep if they decide to breed.

He is not trying to kill her. She has entered his turf. The next time, remove him, give her the tank, then reintroduce him. Then, no one owns the turf comfortably, and they might, maybe, could be less violent.

The chasing and nipping is what aggressive river Cichlids do. If they pass each others' nasty tests, they will breed again, and again, and again.

If the male begins to do visible and serious harm, then they are not a good pair, and will need to be split for her safety. Probably, for good. But the white knuckle part is the stress of seeing how they sort it out. These are not gentle fish. There are hundreds of Cichlid species whose behaviour is far more interesting and less stressful than those ones.

Convicts are white knuckle fish. They are stressful to keep if they decide to breed.

He is not trying to kill her. She has entered his turf. The next time, remove him, give her the tank, then reintroduce him. Then, no one owns the turf comfortably, and they might, maybe, could be less violent.

The chasing and nipping is what aggressive river Cichlids do. If they pass each others' nasty tests, they will breed again, and again, and again.

If the male begins to do visible and serious harm, then they are not a good pair, and will need to be split for her safety. Probably, for good. But the white knuckle part is the stress of seeing how they sort it out. These are not gentle fish. There are hundreds of Cichlid species whose behaviour is far more interesting and less stressful than those ones.

Thank you Gary, I appreciate the help and will try your suggestion.