# what happened????????



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

I have three 2-3 inch convicts in a 20 long. 2 females and one male. I put a flower pot in the tank just for kicks. and low and behold I wake up one day to find what looks like eggs (brown stuff on the top inside of the pot.) I'm thinking babies. Wake up the next day and its all gone. What happened. Someone eat my babies! Think it was the other female, should I remove her now that the other two are seeing eachother? Will they do it again? :fish:


----------



## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

It likely could have been one of, or both of, the parents as well. Now that you've got a pair breeding though, you should remove the extra female for sure. But, they're convicts...of course they'll spawn again. It might take them a few "practice" rounds to get it right, but before long you'll be swimming in convict babies


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

Cool. The LFS should take the female off my hands shouldnt they.


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

Whoaaaa, I just went up to feed them and I noticed a bunch of little fry. She must have moved them out of the pot. They are all gathered at the base of a rock. What should I do? Leave em in there or take them out. I have a 10 gallon running with just 3 little corys. How do you remove those little guys and how soon can you...........thanks........rick


----------



## stuckinthemiddle (Feb 26, 2008)

If you wanna move them, you can just siphon them out, but IMO, the cool part about the spawn is watching the parents raise the fry. Its really cool to watch the parents "herd" them like sheep. Better take the 3rd con back to the LFS soon.....


----------



## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Leave them be. If you do want to raise them, leave them with the parents until they're completely free-swimming and "independent"; couple weeks is probably best.


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

Thanks guys, but heres whats going on now, the male is paired up with the other female in a little cave like area. The other female is tending to her fry. should I still get rid of the other female or should I let it be. Kinda like "Big Love". :roll:


----------



## SinisterKisses (Feb 24, 2004)

Remove her. The tank is only big enough for a pair long-term, so there's no point in risking one of the female's lives by leaving her and risking that the other two turn on her one day.


----------



## OceanDevil (Jul 17, 2005)

Are you saying that the male is breeding with both females? You should get a larger tank for that action. The females will never get along, even though the male can bond with both.


----------



## lil mama (Nov 24, 2007)

Male Convicts are such players


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

OceanDevil said:


> Are you saying that the male is breeding with both females? You should get a larger tank for that action. The females will never get along, even though the male can bond with both.


I'm not sure but it did look that way. Anyway I took the other female out of the picture, so it's just the two of them now. I'll tell you though, I may not know a lot about different fish species but if anyone ever asked me what to put in a 20 gal I would definately say a pair of convicts. They are beautiful fish, not at all bashful and are really entertaining. They're always moving around and up to something. Cool fish! :fish:


----------



## stuckinthemiddle (Feb 26, 2008)

I agree! But a breeding pair can be ruthless so beware.


----------



## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

> But a breeding pair can be ruthless so beware.


I think that's a bit of an understatement. :lol:


----------



## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

Ya, and unless you have plans for the fry i'd just seperate them now. As stated above you will soon have more fry than McDonalds. My parent convicts did well with their fry for over a month in a 30g. As soon as you remove the fry they will lay more eggs and the 2nd batch will likely be twice the size.


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

kingpoiuy said:


> Ya, and unless you have plans for the fry i'd just seperate them now. As stated above you will soon have more fry than McDonalds. My parent convicts did well with their fry for over a month in a 30g. As soon as you remove the fry they will lay more eggs and the 2nd batch will likely be twice the size.


Dont you have to wait a little while? They're still little squigly things all gathered up in one spot.


----------



## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

rickyricardo said:


> kingpoiuy said:
> 
> 
> > Ya, and unless you have plans for the fry i'd just seperate them now. As stated above you will soon have more fry than McDonalds. My parent convicts did well with their fry for over a month in a 30g. As soon as you remove the fry they will lay more eggs and the 2nd batch will likely be twice the size.
> ...


Oops, somehow I had in my head that they were ready. Right seperate them once they have been swimming for a couple weeks.


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

Okay, I guess this is what learn as you go means. Today I get home from work and the little squigleys are no longer little squigleys. Now there little fishes. :roll: So now my conundrum is how do I keep the little ones from getting sucked up into my HOB filter? :fish:


----------



## Yankeejack (Dec 29, 2007)

I'd recommend cutting a piece of filter foam and using a rubber band to wrap it all around the filter intake. You won't need it for long.


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

thanks


----------



## stuckinthemiddle (Feb 26, 2008)

If you dont have that on hand and need a quick fix, you can use panty hose.


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

stuckinthemiddle said:


> If you dont have that on hand and need a quick fix, you can use panty hose.


Oh yeah, I got plenty of those in my closet...............


----------



## stuckinthemiddle (Feb 26, 2008)

From time to time, I like to wear them..NOT! Fortunately, I have a wife who uses them on occasion, plus she put up with my fish addiction


----------



## stuckinthemiddle (Feb 26, 2008)

Oh wait.....I did wear a pair on my head when I tried to rob this lfs of thier wild caught neons....

Luckily no one recognized me


----------



## rickyricardo (Jul 17, 2008)

stuckinthemiddle said:


> Oh wait.....I did wear a pair on my head when I tried to rob this lfs of thier wild caught neons....
> 
> Luckily no one recognized me


----------

