# convict cichlids



## fishman13 (Jul 27, 2009)

Hi, I need help on my breeding pair of convicts it seems like the female has transfered the eggs that are still feeding on the eggs into the cave and hasn't come out since.What's happening? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-?


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## pomi (Oct 13, 2009)

Don't wory, she will move them again and again till they swim on their own.


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## fishman13 (Jul 27, 2009)

why would she move them :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-?


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## Tangalawirifts (Sep 30, 2009)

Safety


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## fishman13 (Jul 27, 2009)

There almost free swimming, Thanks, and tangalawirifts.                       :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: :dancing: =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>


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## fishman13 (Jul 27, 2009)

my male is beating up the female and I have separated the fry the minute I saw this aggression. What is going on?Please help. :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :-? :? :? :? :? :? :?


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## barbarian206 (Apr 2, 2008)

hi *** had convicts and dont know why the male beats on the female after fry are born so i asked my pet shop about it and they told me to let them be or get another female in a seperate tankso whe it starts he can be put in another tank *** had some success with the way i did it must of had about 17 liters lol got rid of all they fry at local pet shop and had enough so i got rid of the male and kept the 2 females thank god


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## fishman13 (Jul 27, 2009)

thanks


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## pomi (Oct 13, 2009)

The male is beating the female to protect the fry, belive it.

After a week or 2 after the fry become free swimming the female will want to mate again with the male. But all the male is interested at this point is to take care of the young so the female begins to atack the fry and sometimes trying to eat them one by one when the male is not paying attention. That is the reason the male beats the female.

All I tell you is from my own experience, I saw these things happen in my tank. So, the best thing you can do is remove the female or the fry in another tank.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

My interpretation is...

It is the females job to guard the nest and care for the fry... It is the males job to guard the territory...

If it's just the pair and fry in the tank, the male's job is very simple. So simple that he has nothing to do... so he gets bored... and wants the females attention... and he takes it...

When I've kept pairs with tank mates, it always seemed to make the pairs bond stronger...

When I've removed the male and left the female with fry, she usually cared for them rather well...

When I've removed the female and left the male with fry, he usually ate the fry slowly...


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## pomi (Oct 13, 2009)

Hmm, I guess it depends on the fish's personality. I have never seen my male convict snatch any fry, just the female.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

pomi said:


> Hmm, I guess it depends on the fish's personality. I have never seen my male convict snatch any fry, just the female.


Humans have evolved to produce fewer offspring and to put the best of their genetics into that offspring... then to put all of their resources into that single offspring...

Cichlids have evolved to create as many offspring as possible, then to allow the 'best' of those offspring to survive...

So if there are limited resources, the female should kill off the weaker fry so they do not take resources away from the stronger fish. As these weaker fry are not going to survive, so resources spent on them are ultimately wasted.

Also, if the weaker fry are destined to die, it's better that the parent eat the fry than the fry waste away or be eaten by some other fish. If the mother fills herself on fry that were going to die anyway, she doesn't have to search elsewhere for food leaving the fry unprotected.

So just because the female is eating a few fry, doesn't mean she is not acting in the broods best interests...

That is not to suggest that every female will make a good mother... nor every male will make a bad father... As you mentioned, the 'personality' of every fish will differ as will it's efficiency in it's role...


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## pomi (Oct 13, 2009)

What you say it's true but my female didn't "search" for the weaker fry. She ate or tried to ate every single fry that would come near her. It's hard to believe that all the fry were weak. Plus, she had that orange coloring showing that she is ready for spawning.


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## Lancerlot (Feb 22, 2006)

Just a random thought from me.

If any of this could be text book predictable I wouldn't be in this hobby. I got cichlids because of parenting skills not cause of colors. It just amazing me when I see a pair of fish herding over 600fry. So it they were all predictable it would be very very boring. Thank god they arn't.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

from my expereince(2 pairs in a 75g for a while) the pair will turn on each other when fry are missing. when i moved my tank i only saved about half the fry... this apperently pissed my male off and he took it out on the female. I had to break the pair over it. if i was still keeping em i'd have a school of dithers with them to keep the convicts on guard mode. But like lancerlot said, no cichlid is predictable.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I see it in much simpler terms. When they have a job protecting fry, they do it pretty well for a while. After that, it is time to feed up and get ready for another spawning. Part of that is to grab the quickest, easiest meal. Happens to be your own kid perhaps he was not as smart as required. Mother nature doesn't promote sissies that don't learn quick. Perhaps the early form of tough love? :-?


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