# Convicts won't breed.



## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

So I got a new convict female today and she is already paired up with a nice size mail, that was really fast. No eggs yet but I don't think it will be long, they already claimed half the tank 

Here are some pics of her she is my most colorful female and only about 1-1.5 inches long!


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *Sickaqua*,

Great looking cons, thank you for sharing.

Thanks,
matt


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

Your welcome! I have about 5 females but she is by far the most colorful so i wanted to share hre beauty


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

great color...


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

I have 2 pairs of convicts, 8 total but only 4 have paired (making 2 pairs), and I can definatly tell they paired up because they are GLUED to their females, who both have reallly round red bellies, and chase any additional fish off togeather. They are in a 55 with EXCELLENT hide outs, and the 2 pairs have litterally split the tank in half, one pair on one side and other on the other side. Had them about 3 weeks, the two males are about 3 inces and the females are a good 2.5 or better. WHY ARE THEY NOT BREEDING?


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Try a large 50% water change with slightly cooler water.

...Bill


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## duds (Apr 16, 2010)

Give them a few more weeks... they'll figure it out.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

You've had them for three weeks and they've paired off already and you're complaining?


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

ahhhhh!!!! SO I did a 50% water change at 5 this morning and my 7:30 I HAVE EGGS!!!!

nick and nora, my first pair, are nesting over about 250 little eggs stuck on a rock in the b ack of my tank.

THANKS YOU so much!

I am sooooo excited, MY FIRST BABIES!


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Congratz. Good luck with them.

....Bill


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

Ok...I have a 55 tank with some new eggs layed litterally about 9 hours ago....so when shold I take these babies out and put them in their own tank? While they are still in their yolk or what? I would like to keep a few but not all 200+. THe 55 has 8 juvy convicts an oscar and a F8 puffer.


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## YoungCrazyCatWoman (Mar 4, 2011)

She's gorgeous, congrats. Thanks for the photo


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I'm going to combine all of your threads since they are all on the same subject matter. No need to nut up the forum.


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## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

If you only want to keep a few then leave the babies with the parents. They'll bond stronger and and will take good care of the babies for a while.

When you see the numbers start to dwindle down, you can then pull some of the fry to keep. Most likely 5-6 weeks maybe a little longer.


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

Wow! She's gorgeous. Congrats on the fry.


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

I would also like to add that I now have both pairs with eggs! YAY!


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## YoungCrazyCatWoman (Mar 4, 2011)

Sickaqua said:


> I would also like to add that I now have both pairs with eggs! YAY!


Congrats!


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

jason_nj said:


> If you only want to keep a few then leave the babies with the parents. They'll bond stronger and and will take good care of the babies for a while.
> 
> When you see the numbers start to dwindle down, you can then pull some of the fry to keep. Most likely 5-6 weeks maybe a little longer.


Yes. Jason is correct.

Especially their first spawn. Let them learn. They will spawn again.

....Bill


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

Ok so got a quick question...

the pretty female had her eggs, they fell off the rock and are now wiggling around.....she doesn't want to eat them that I can tell but there are fewer in number than when she started, and she is probably not a good momma, she leaves them all the time and leaves them un=attended? Should I take them? I have a guy that wants HER babies because they might be beautiful like their momma lol....so don't want to loosa any more she is down to like 15 eggs out of 50-60ish? I have a breeding net to put in the tank, can I put them in there or no?


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## jason_nj (Feb 24, 2010)

If they are wigglers you can take them, they'll be fine in the breeding net. I wouldn't worry either way, they'll breed again and they'll get better at taking care of the fry.


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## Sickaqua (Feb 27, 2011)

mom won't like freak out on me will she? Also can i just feed the babies crushed up flake food?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I would not remove them, they can take care of them better than we can.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

I have removed wiggler and put them in a breeding net numerous times. They die right away every time.

Leave them with the mother so she learns how to take care of them.

You will have more babies than you know what to do with soon.

Watch what you wish for....you may get it 

....Bill


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## yuanyelss (Jan 20, 2011)

If you just want to keep some, and then leave the parents of infants. They will be more powerful and bonds, and to take some time to look after the baby was fine. When you see these numbers start to shrink down, you can pull some of preserved fish. The most likely 5-6 weeks may not be so long...


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## longislandmbuna (Mar 30, 2011)

can anyone tell me the sex of this convict please there is no orange but only 1.5 inches roughly


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