# Marble Convict Questions



## justhooked (Jul 31, 2008)

I have a female marble convict 2" from Jeff Rapps and am receiving a beautiful dominant male standard convict 4" (I don't know if it has the recessive gene or not). They will be housed in a 35 gal tank all to themselves. It's footprint is 36" X 12". The same as a 30 but taller. I have a small local market for them. At any rate my questions.

1. Will I get marble cons from this pair?
2. If not how do I go about getting marble cons?
3. Will all of the offspring of this pair have the recessive gene?
4. Is this a big enough space for them?
5. Is there a wider market for marble cons or are they fish food after I sell the ones locally?

I think that is it for now. Thanks for your help.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

You won't get marbles from this mix, I believe the the marble trait is double recessive. I said this becuase mixing a marble and a pink without the marble gene produces pinks.

Getting marble convicts is much like getting EBJD's. You would breed a marble to a pink or regular convict (yes all the fry will have the marble gene), then breed one of those offspring with the marble gene to a marble and some of the fry would be marbles.

Or even easier, get another marble. 

The tank size is great, and you should be able to ship marbles as I know a lot of people that wish they were more available locally. They still aren't a get rich quick fish though.


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## justhooked (Jul 31, 2008)

Thanks Dwarfpike, not looking to get rich. Just making sure my 125 and my 110 won't be convict only tanks. I have the ability then to get some marble convicts out to the normal person. Which I think is pretty cool. I had to pay out the nose to get my marble female (2 actually) and I have not been able to get my hands on a marble male. So I will pair up one with the regular convict and then wait and pair up one of their kids with the other female.

If that sounds like a good plan, it looks like in a couple of months I will have fry available for anyone interested in them.


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## Ctrl_Alt_Dlt (Sep 3, 2008)

1. Will I get marble cons from this pair?
Like dwarfpike said, only if the male standard has the marble gene. Does it? Chances are, it doesnt, but dont be surprised if it does.

2. If not how do I go about getting marble cons?
Like dwarfpike said, cross this pair. ALL the fry should have the marble gene afterwards. From here, cross the fry to another marbled convict or the mom.

3. Will all of the offspring of this pair have the recessive gene?
It should.

4. Is this a big enough space for them?
35 is good for one established breeding pair. If the male doesnt like her or vise versa, add more places to hide in or move one to another tank.

5. Is there a wider market for marble cons or are they fish food after I sell the ones locally? 
I spoke to jeff Rapps a long time ago...probably 5 years ago through email and at that time he didnt carry them because he said that no one really sought after them. It wasnt until just recently that he started to carry them again. Jeff Rapps knows a lot about this line too. From his email, he helped establish this marbled convict line. Convicts in general are underrated fish. I'd spend 100$ easily on a fully grown adult nuchal humped male.

Check this thread: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=132356


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## justhooked (Jul 31, 2008)

That was very interesting reading. Thank you. My 125 gal is a CA tank, so if there is a compatibility problem, I can move the male out. Hopefully all goes well with my plan and I don't have issues. It sounds like from that other thread, it is rather difficult to get marbled cons. Maybe a novice like me will get lucky.


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