# Convict behavior -- stealing fry



## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

This female is guarding (but not against her older fry) a small group of young fry that wandered off from their parents' main school. The tank has three pairs of convicts in it, and the pair to the left had a huge spawn. Adult fish caught from a local Nicaraguan man-made lake.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Interesting behavior and a great looking fish!


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

It is not uncommon for many types of Cichlids to adopt or steal fry from others; in fact, the _Hypsophrys nicaraquense_ in Lake Nicaraqua are known to adopt the fry of _Parachomis dovii_ in a sort of symbiotic relationship. The fry of the two species look extremely similar when very small.

One theory is that they take in extra fry so that any predator is going to get fewer of their own fry if there is a greater total number of fry. Another is that female Cichlids have such a strong maternal instinct that anything that looks like their young are likely to be herded. I've even heard of female Apistos trying to herd Daphnia!

It is cool, however, to observe such behavior in aquaria. You are fortunate to have the opportunity!


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## AlmightyJoshaeus (May 2, 2013)

Mr Chromedome said:


> It is not uncommon for many types of Cichlids to adopt or steal fry from others; in fact, the _Hypsophrys nicaraquense_ in Lake Nicaraqua are known to adopt the fry of _Parachomis dovii_ in a sort of symbiotic relationship. The fry of the two species look extremely similar when very small.
> 
> One theory is that they take in extra fry so that any predator is going to get fewer of their own fry if there is a greater total number of fry. Another is that female Cichlids have such a strong maternal instinct that anything that looks like their young are likely to be herded. I've even heard of female Apistos trying to herd Daphnia!
> 
> It is cool, however, to observe such behavior in aquaria. You are fortunate to have the opportunity!


It is also thought they do this because dovii are the main predators of the Neetroplus that tend to evict the Hyksos from their nests.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

This appears to help the older fry with lunch. All of the smaller fry from the other parents disappeared within minutes the first time this happened. I've got a 80 inch long tank with three pairs of convicts. I'm planning to add some local Astynax tetras to help with the population explosion. They reach 3 inches and hold their own with cichlids from what I've been told by other local aquarists.

Thinking about taking two convict pairs out and adding Hypsophyryn nicaraguense, but not sure the aggression levels will work out with the convicts. Other suggestions? Tank is not wide enough for Jaguars or Black Belts. The tetras will be one of three species in the big tank since I don't want to get into the fish raising business. I'm interested in keeping Nicaraguan fish (and am planning to look for two small livebearers for a 13 gallon low (9inches tall) planted tank.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Archocentrus centrarchus are from Lake Nicaragua. You have a really long tank and I'd think a pair of these could work out.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

Would prefer something that's not so close in appearance to the convicts. Would there be a problem with nicaraguense and convicts, or is the tank a bit too small for a pair of nicaraguense with fry? It's 19.5 by 20 inches on the shorter dimensions.

We also have longimanus locally (at least in a highland tributary of the Rio Tuma), but I'd have to change the substrate to sand and probably would want to find homes for all the convict pairs since that isn't as aggressive from what I've been reading. Local to me are rivers and some spring holes and a large man-made lake (Lago Apanas). One of my contacts said Astatheros alfari was also in Nicaragua (didn't say where). Lake Nicaragua is about three to four hours away (I've been with friends to Ometepe).


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## Kuromaguro (Feb 11, 2014)

I have a male convict around 5.5 inches that paired up with my 4.5 inch nicaraguan. They've had 3 batches of eggs so far but none have hatched. I'd say these fish are compatible.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

I've read that convicts will mate with anything, even red parrots.

I went away Tuesday morning after feeding grindle worms and came back today to find that the center pair (the one with the female who'd done fry stealing) had lost their territory and were hiding at the top of the tank between the two power filters. So they're in a new 30 gallon tank with half a roof tile and a mature power filter (and perhaps spawning) and headed for a new home fairly soon. Nicaraguense and convicts do live in lakes south of here, though I think this is north of the Nicaraguense range.

I'd scooped out some of their fry earlier and put them in a 13 gallon tank with some guppies, so I have known survivors of their spawning.


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