# help with convicts



## jeepgirl93 (May 21, 2008)

my convicts recently had babies (approx. 3 weeks ago). All of a sudden the male won't let the female near the babies. He chases her away. Is this normal? Her stripes are also barely visible is she stressed or is she going to spawn again already? Except for the 15 to 20 babies the parents are the only other fish in this tank of 30 gallons.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

Yes, this can happen and it is normal but it doesn't happen all of the time. What is going on is the Male wants to protect the fry solo. And the coloration on the Female that you mentioned is stress. And also she lost her breeding colors.


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## amcline (May 4, 2008)

i hate to butt in, but how do you know which is which, i have two now, one i had for a while, since about 1/4" and now its about 2" maybe 2.5"
is all grey with black stripes but they have faded out since adding the other, and a grey face,

the other one i got recently, about 1.5" - 2" and has bold black stripes, blue throat, red belly sides and yellow on the fins, and the face is almost black

i currently have them in a 10g waiting on a 20g Long
there is only a couple plants, and a big tree stump, the colorfull one stays in there all the time and the bigger one goes in sometimes but most the time stays out, the other one comes out to eat then huals butt back in,

i dont wanna take it out to see if theres fry in it. but they did do some real funny acts for the first couple days, then this started, its been about a week all together,


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## chrispyweld (Dec 20, 2005)

females have the red belly males are all striped.


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## jeepgirl93 (May 21, 2008)

thanks for the info.


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## amcline (May 4, 2008)

my convicts just had babies, when do I remove them from the parents or do I?
There not even swimming yet about the size of a grain of rice. I see aleast 30 so far.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

> my convicts just had babies, when do I remove them from the parents or do I?
> There not even swimming yet about the size of a grain of rice. I see aleast 30 so far.


 Convicts are great parents and the only real reason to remove them would be if you wanted to raise them yourself. Just let them be and let mom and dad do their job.


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