# Breeding Cons, finally let me turn the lights on



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

So I know you've all seen them before but here are my pair of cons (M=Black) (F=Pink)

Mom and Dad in the tank










Gorgeous blue hues on mom









Mom defending the fry









The fry as wrigglers









The fry on the day they hatched


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

:thumb: opcorn:


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## BoilerFan (Jun 20, 2010)

=D>


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## ebjdftw (Aug 24, 2010)

cool pics chubbs =)


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks guys 

Thankfully this time dad hasn't killed mom yet, and mom is standing her ground. No stress from either of them (other than mom attacking her reflection on the back glass here and there)...

I'll try to get some closeup pics of dad soon, since he's pretty comfortable around me


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## CoolCichlid (Feb 12, 2010)

Congratulations! Cute babies! :thumb: opcorn:


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks - they get to grow with mom and dad for abotu a week or 2, then they will be the main course in my 90 gallon 

Though I might keep a couple to see how they look when they grow up since it's a cross between a pink con (F) and a black con (M)... 

Taking pics of dad now


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Alright here we go

Dad on guard 









Mom giving dad a nudge









Closeup









Decent full shot of dad (starting to get the beginnings of a nuchal hump)









Am i too close?


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

a breeding pair of convicts is a dangerous thing... I had a trio back in the mid 90s... within 6 months they filled their 30 gallon to the point of literally not being able to see the back of the tank... Hundreds upon hundreds of babies. Luckily I was keeping frontosa as well as scats and monos at that point as well and was able to feed the babies to other fish. That not withstanding, it was probably those fish being my first ever breeders that locked in my passion for fish so strongly and I'll always remember them fondly!

Congrats!


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *Chubbs the Jellybean*,

Nice Pictures.

Thanks,
Matt


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

I need to get some of these guys...
And great shots Chubbs. Your male has pretty cool markings!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Manoah Marton said:


> I need to get some of these guys...
> And great shots Chubbs. Your male has pretty cool markings!


Thanks Manoah!

He didn't show any of those markings until he started breeding with this specific female, and I think they might be a true pair... seeing that they haven't killed each other and aren't at all aggressive with each other after a week with fry 

Definitely get some man, free treat feeders for your bigger fish and without the diseases :thumb:


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

> Definitely get some man...


Well, maybe when my 10g frees up, I could get a young pair in there...  I know my angel, and calvus would LOVE some little snacks!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Yup! I'll be sending my fry to the "dogs" in a week when they get a smidge bigger

I'm excited for how this male turns out when he gets bigger...

For now I have some Uaru coming into my LFS to round out the 90


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

I also have a LFS that would probably take some off my hands...argh...now you've got me wanting some!!! But then again...my 10g currently has one of my top fav. fish in there (a kribs I've raised from a baby, and also my first cichlid that lived for more than a week :lol: ...hey, we were all new at one time!!!)

But great shots Chubbs!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks again man, I hear ya with being attached to a fish... I'm currently attached to my male firemouth in my 90 gal, he's like the grumpy grandpa of the tank, if he wasn't there I could put a more aggressive fish in, but I'm working with him because I like him 

I'm really excited for how this pair of cons grows up, since they're a very young pair (male is about 2.5", female around 1.75")


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Okay so here's an update... The last batch of fry didn't fare too well, but then (unbeknownst to me) they decided to have another batch! They're doing REALLY well and are out in the open all the time... Mom and dad are doing a fantastic job of defending the fry against the "black box of doom" (my camera) and the "hand of god"... :lol:

Defending the fry









I'm watching you!









Mom and fry









The one lone fry from the very first batch a month ago in my 1.5 gallon cube


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Any thoughts? opcorn:


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

look sooo cool!!! I've finally gotten my first cichlid spawn...my similis...and now I've gotten into all the fun! good luck raising the young.

merry christmas,

Manoah


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks man, sadly since that picture the one lone fry disappeared, so I took the 1.5 gallon down... but I did add driftwood in the 15 and the male tried to kill me


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

They've come to really like the wood in the tank, hiding fry under it quite often (not to mention the fry chewing on it all day :lol: )


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Got a few nice shots today 

Mom is in breeding dress again!









And dad is growing that nuchal hump!


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## Manoah Marton (Feb 17, 2009)

looking good! how big are they (the parents) now?


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I'd have to say that mom is a smidge over 2", and dad is just over 3.25" (holding the tape measure up to the tank and watching them come down to attack it was pretty funny)

Though I'm not sure if they've grown much, the fry from their recent batch (2.5 weeks) have gotten to just shy of 1/4" (at the biggest) and about 1/8" at smallest


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Mom and dad may be eating the fry again (possibly in preparation for their next spawn) - i tried to syphon the fry out this afternoon, but could not even after 7 attempts and pouring the water back in...

There are about 3-5 left lol


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Got them out this morning - there were 7 in total left, but mom and dad were definitely scaring them, they only live under the wood and dont come out anymore, so they went into the 90 gallon, I think they might've escaped becoming a snack and hid in the driftwood "graveyard"... We'll see how things go, mom and dad should be spawning again soon


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

So mom and dad spawned again - this video is after mom moved the free swimming fry into the cichlid stone... Spawning again already??


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Update:

So they're still breeding regularly, just snapped this picture of mom defending her eggs


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## Elijah (Mar 30, 2011)

Awesome pics and video Chubbs! Did you introduce your cons separately, or did you buy many and let them pair off?


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Funny you should ask, initially I bought this female on her own to grow out for my 90 gallon, the. Decided to breed them, so I bought about 4 other cons (2 male 2 female) and ended up with a pair with this male and a different female and took the other 3 back, including this female. Then he killed his mate and I bought this one back because she was VERY aggressive, they've been inseparable ever since  so separately to answer your question


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Wrigglers in the tiny cichlid stone  they're inseperable


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