Convicts Breeding?

[semper fi]

the eggs will be yellow looking. tried to find my pics of eggs to post. takes abut 4-5 days for the fry to hatch. may notice a cloudlike appearance to the opening. that is the fry. convicts make great parents. you can safely leave the parents in with the fry. also they can breed about every 6 weeks or so. you can leave the previous spawns in with the newer ones as they will also assist in the care.

convicts like to lay their eggs on a flat surface also. they will dilligently clean the surface and surrounding area. you might have noticed them taking bits of gravel in their mouth and spitting it out. they are cleaning the gravel by grinding it against their teeth. the holes you see dug are abandoned areas they did not feel were right for the fry. also like to have a cave to lay their eggs. flowerpots turned on their sides. pvc in short lengths also make great caves for them. they will get more aggressive flaring at you when you get too near the glass. if they feel you are a threat by looking at the fry too often, they will move the fry to a more isolated area. the female will take several in her mouth and release them in a different location.

you can feed the fry daphnia until they get bigger to take finely crushed flake food. you can make your own daphnia by taking a lidded jar filled with tank water and a peice of lettuce. set in a sunny location ie a window for 24 hours. remove the lettuce or feed to the parents, and pour the water into the tank.

hth

 

[Chad08]

Thanks semper fi. I might make my own daphnia. I have seen the female pick up several pieces of rocks with her mouth and move them out of the hole. Will she lay the eggs on the bottom of the tank. It looks like I have eggs on the bottom of the tank were the hole is. I have a cave but my striped raphael cat stays under there. I might see if I have a flower pot or some pvc pipe for my convicts.

 

[Chad08]

I have fish fry. It's cool...they are really small. I dont have anything to feed them but flake...will it be ok to just crumble up some flakes real fine? Also do I need to move the fry to my ten gallon tank?
thanks

 

[semper fi]

no like i said you do not need to move the fry until the ten is too small to house the fish. imo i would move them to a bigger tank. they are prolific breeders. but the fry and parents can stay together. convicts are great parents and the fry will also with future spawns.

you can feed the crushed up flake. make sure that it is finely crushed though.