How Hard Is It To Give Away Convict Babies

[idlefingers]

I bought two convicts at the weekend and thought they were a pair at the time, however, now I think otherwise (http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=188564).

I have given this quite a bit of thought and spoke to the lfs about it and I was sure I wanted a pair and to breed them. I can take one of the females back and get a male so I have a pair and I really want to.. but I keep worrying about how hard it might be to give away/sell the young when they appear.

The lfs said they would buy or take them, but I worry that that was sales-talk or that they will take the first brood, but not subsequent ones.

So, my long, drawn out question is, how hard is it to get rid of the young-uns? Should I keep the two females or take one back and get a male?

Sorry about all these questions I keep posting.. I'll get there in the end. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[Gatorbait]

It's very difficult to get rid of them in most places. They are just so common and breed so easily and often.

If I were you, I would ask if they would be willing to take a new batch at least once a month for however long. If they are, then you're fine.

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

In all truth, take them to a LFS and just say "I do not have the space to look after them and provide them with the adequate requirements" They are pretty much stuck and have to take them. I know it seems a bit sad but they will always breed again. Another thing to do is to offer them to people who are looking round the shop. At least they wil be going to people who really want them.

Chris

 

[cheesy feet]

I bought two convicts at the weekend and thought they were a pair at the time, however, now I think otherwise (http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=188564).

I have given this quite a bit of thought and spoke to the lfs about it and I was sure I wanted a pair and to breed them. I can take one of the females back and get a male so I have a pair and I really want to.. but I keep worrying about how hard it might be to give away/sell the young when they appear.

The lfs said they would buy or take them, but I worry that that was sales-talk or that they will take the first brood, but not subsequent ones.

So, my long, drawn out question is, how hard is it to get rid of the young-uns? Should I keep the two females or take one back and get a male?

Sorry about all these questions I keep posting.. I'll get there in the end. Thanks for everyone's help.

I remeber one guy just dropping a bag of 50+ guppies at a fish shop and leaving a note.I would do that if they say they don't want to take them.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

I bought two convicts at the weekend and thought they were a pair at the time, however, now I think otherwise (http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=188564).

I have given this quite a bit of thought and spoke to the lfs about it and I was sure I wanted a pair and to breed them. I can take one of the females back and get a male so I have a pair and I really want to.. but I keep worrying about how hard it might be to give away/sell the young when they appear.

The lfs said they would buy or take them, but I worry that that was sales-talk or that they will take the first brood, but not subsequent ones.

So, my long, drawn out question is, how hard is it to get rid of the young-uns? Should I keep the two females or take one back and get a male?

Sorry about all these questions I keep posting.. I'll get there in the end. Thanks for everyone's help.

I remeber one guy just dropping a bag of 50+ guppies at a fish shop and leaving a note.I would do that if they say they don't want to take them.

sorry, but if you're going to go that route, you might as well save time and flush them yourself. fish stores are profit-driven business and generally don't have the time, space or money to take in charity case fish that they can't sell or showcase. i almost guarantee that a bag full of unwanted fry would be at best be used as feeders and at worst be flushed soon after discovery.

unless there's something special about your convicts, i would try to find someone who needs a steady supply of clean feeders or get a piscavorous fish of your own. you might be able to find homes for some of them, but there's just a limited market for highly prolific, aggressive 6" fish.

 

[chrisdoesntmiss]

One final thought - Ebay the fry for 50 pence. Someone will buy them.

 

[idlefingers]

One final thought - Ebay the fry for 50 pence. Someone will buy them.

Good point. I didn't think about that. I'd much prefer to give them to the lfs, but I guess it's always there as an option for if everything else fails!

I wouldn't want to just ditch the fry at the lfs or flush them. I'll have to have a bit more of a chat with the guys at the lfs and speak to a couple of other not-so-lfs' about the possibility of taking them.

 

[darknirvana217]

I bred a pair convict cichlids months ago. It is difficult to give the young ones to large retail pet stores, but I ofund that smaller stores, especially privately owned stores, are more willing to take them off your hands. I agree with teh first reply that you need to ask teh owners first. Once they begin breeding it wont stop. Also, if your looking for store credit or any cash for them, find a new fish to breed. Stores will most likely give you nothing for them since they are so cheap on the market anyways.

 

[my fat fish]

you ghave exzactly the same problem as me i want 2 breed them then i thought who will take the fry ???!!??? so i am getting 2 femails (2 moz hopefuly) because in the end i thought well rehoing will be hard as they breed like every 3 weeks and also i thought why do i want to breed them it will cost more. yes the first batch will be nice n fun to raise but then it becomes a choir and would start 2 regret it so i decyded to just keep 2 femails

 

[Hobbit]

hell, i just leave mine in the tank, and my jack dempseys eat them. the con cant hold back the dempseys, and a lot of protein comes from it.

 

[Hobbit]

10 minutes after my last post, i went down to my room to see my male con rush my female jack and grab her gill plate! so im worried my cons are growing up a little too fast. my jacks wont be able to bully them forever. the cons are scared of my male jd tho, once my male con rammed my male jd, and he got chased for about 5 minutes, w/ occasional nips. he learned his lesson. luckily my female jd wasnt harmed earlier.

 

[briielzebub]

I'd say they are very hard to give away. The first batch or so is fine, but after that you're giving away a hundred fry a month and you're going to have to find a bunch of fish stores to take all of them. Petco took mine one and I haven't had any luck with anyone since then. And if you can't get rid of them, there's always a chance for them getting too old, killing eachother, and inbreeding. woohoo! I had to keep my last batch for a very, very long time and finally found someone who took them (there were only about 10 left). I thought he was just going to take them aspet fish (since he likes that sort of fish), and turns out he's trying to FEED my 2 inch cons to his full grown JD! Needless to say he's not having much luck. But seriously, think about it really hard first So many people breed cons the pet shops don't know what to do with all of them, except turn them into feeders. If you've got some big cichlids who'd eat the fry (please not at the 2" point!), go for it. But if not, I'd say just keep the 2 females. Cons are fun enough fish without them breeding all the time!