Convicts

[aquariumart22]

I bought two convict cichlids a few months ago. I've read that if you get them from the same place(which i did), chances are they're from the same batch and if they are they will never breed. Their both about the same size(about 3 inches). Ones dark with a pointed fin and ones light with a rounder fin. Which leads me to believe i have a male and a female.

I moved them to another tank and did rock caves which I believe they like. They've been in there about two weeks now and were showing signs of fighting or mating? They would lock lips and were acting really aggressive towards each other. They still are, but now the one i believe to be the male just sits and guards the "cave" openings and doesn't let any tank mates go near. They still chase each other around.

Suggestions? Split them up? Let them be? Make it so they are the only ones in the tank? Mating or fighting?

Its a 30 gallon with 6 other fish..

 

[onidrase]

They'll probably kill the other fish defending the fry. I've never heard of them not breeding just cause you got them from the same place at the same time. convicts are extremely prolific.

 

[dougie]

I agree with onidrase, in a 30g all your other fish will be killed if they have fry (chances are they will if you have a m & f, they breed like under water rabbits, regardless of which batch they are from). If you have an aggressive male, he may kill everything anyway defending his territory, regardless of fry, which in a 30g could be pretty much the whole tank. As I'm sure you've read, a convict will take on & thrash a tankmate many times his own size. I unfortunately had this happen to me many years ago. On the plus side, they are ridiculously easy to breed, good looking, & fascinating to watch. I think you'd be better off re-homing your other fish. good luck.

 

[aquariumart22]

Thanks I shall move all the fish then. What about my pleco? Should I move him too?

 

[M204]

Plecos like to eat eggs the parents gaurd the eggs good but they do suck around and might grab a fast snack

 

[aquariumart22]

Hmm.. well whats everyone think of leaving the pleco i have, pictus cats and my African featherfin in with the convicts? The convicts are acting pretty aggressive and guarding the "cave", which is a little cup i've buried in the gravel under some rocks.. I just don't really have another tank to put them in and I don't want to get rid of em . I am getting a 75 gallon within the next couple months for them but i don't think thats soon enough.. I don't want to put them in my molly tank.. On the flip side i don't want them to be killed either! I dunno what to do.

I've grown really attached to all my fish but I'm having a hard time keepin em all happy. I have 2, 30 gallon tanks and a ten gallon which hasn't been stocked yet.

I wasn't aware that the convicts would need their own tank! Any advice would be awesome.

 

[onidrase]

yeah, the breeding convicts would need their own tank. They're extremely nasty when babies are involved. If they're acting aggressive around the cave now, just wait til it's full of wrigglers. they'll try to kill everything that moves, including the catfish. They're very prolific, too. Expect this to be a monthly thing, too. If you want to keep the convicts, I'd try to get them their own 20 gallon long tank (the 30"x12"x12" tanks)

that'd be efficient for the breeding pair.

 

[aquariumart22]

yeah, the breeding convicts would need their own tank. They're extremely nasty when babies are involved. If they're acting aggressive around the cave now, just wait til it's full of wrigglers. they'll try to kill everything that moves, including the catfish. They're very prolific, too. Expect this to be a monthly thing, too. If you want to keep the convicts, I'd try to get them their own 20 gallon long tank (the 30"x12"x12" tanks)

that'd be efficient for the breeding pair.

Thank you. I dunno why i didn't think of that.. I'm definitely doin it. On another note, why are they sticking their lips out super far? Whats that mean? They keep doing it every once in a while..

 

[onidrase]

yeah, the breeding convicts would need their own tank. They're extremely nasty when babies are involved. If they're acting aggressive around the cave now, just wait til it's full of wrigglers. they'll try to kill everything that moves, including the catfish. They're very prolific, too. Expect this to be a monthly thing, too. If you want to keep the convicts, I'd try to get them their own 20 gallon long tank (the 30"x12"x12" tanks)

that'd be efficient for the breeding pair.

Thank you. I dunno why i didn't think of that.. I'm definitely doin it. On another note, why are they sticking their lips out super far? Whats that mean? They keep doing it every once in a while..

It's them trying to be intimidating to you or the other fish, trying to scare them away before doing any chasing or anything like that.

 

[aquariumart22]

yeah, the breeding convicts would need their own tank. They're extremely nasty when babies are involved. If they're acting aggressive around the cave now, just wait til it's full of wrigglers. they'll try to kill everything that moves, including the catfish. They're very prolific, too. Expect this to be a monthly thing, too. If you want to keep the convicts, I'd try to get them their own 20 gallon long tank (the 30"x12"x12" tanks)

that'd be efficient for the breeding pair.

Thank you. I dunno why i didn't think of that.. I'm definitely doin it. On another note, why are they sticking their lips out super far? Whats that mean? They keep doing it every once in a while..

It's them trying to be intimidating to you or the other fish, trying to scare them away before doing any chasing or anything like that.

Awesome . Thank you so much. I really like to try to learn as much as I can about them!