# Breeding Convicts and tankmate question



## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

If I were to get a convict pair to breed in a 50 gallon 36x18x18 is there any cichlid that could stand up to the pair and maybe eat some babies as a snack so i dont over run maybe a jack dempsey or something or would it really just depend on the fish and me having to just try it out. also would a bristlenose pleco eat all the eggs all the time at night?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Anything you put in with the breeding pair will be subject to a great amount of abuse. I wouldn't reccomend anything with the pair. If you're worried about being overrun with convicts then don't get a pair.

OR just leave the convict pair in the tank, they will "take care" of any fry when they get ready to spawn again.


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

thanks you're the best TFG always answerin all the noobs questions


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

You're welcome.

A lot of people raise cons for food for their other fish. If that's your plan then the pair should have their own tank, they don't need all that realestate either. A tank with a 12"x30" footprint has worked well for me. ie, 20L or 29 gallon tanks. Though I do have a pair in a 20H at the moment...


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

alright I may rehouse them one day and maybe try to get a pair of jacks or somethin


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

My pair in my 15 is doing wonderfully... alone

They're on their 4th spawn, never ate the eggs, but did eat the fry the 1st and 2nd try.

The female is a really strict parent and makes dad come back to the fry to take care of them when he goes to the other side of the tank 

Maybe you could try a pair of blue acaras or firemouths or nics? I feel as though a pair of jacks might be cramped in that tank since it's only 36" long


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

Alright I bought 3 convicts the other day. The guy at the pet store just threw one extra one in for me and i thought i had 3 females so i bought a male. Out of the 4 i got only one male and one female are very colorful the other two are almost white. Do you think i already have a breeding pair? The two are stressing the others out... Can some just show colors and others not? I've watched the tank for about half an hour, I've been working quite a lot since i got the tank and noticed some chases going on mostly the really dark colored male chasing the smallest one which iunno if its a male or female but he chases it the most so i figure its another male and the other smaller female with a little orange belly, do you guys think i should try and remove the two smaller less colorful ones asap?


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

Also i have two bristlenose plecos a male and female got em two for tuesday couldnt turn down that deal they are around 3-4 inches and beautiful oohh btw the convicts are only around 1 1/2 to 2 inches


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I've edited your post so I could read and understand it a bit better.

In most cases I would say to remove the aggressor. In this case he is obviously interested in one of the females. The famales will have orange on their bellies. So I would remove the fish being chased and stressed or hi will kill them.

If the two plecos are in the same tank as the convicts and you plan to breed either you will not succeed. The plecos will need their own tank and the male will need a pleco cave. The convicts will gladly eat the pleco eggs and the plecos will gladly eat the convict eggs.


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

yeah i kinda figured that thanks.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Where are you from in Ohio?


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

umm Ironton its pretty much as south as you can go. haa i just looked up Orwell we almost couldnt be farther apart and still live in the same state.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

:lol: That's funny...


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

they have already laid eggs and wrecking havoc. thought they may have laid eggs last night but wasnt really sure it was in a dark corner however i turned on the light this morning to find a bristlenose pleco laying close to the spawn site with some big cloudly white eyes a a few marks on him i figured he tried to have a midnight snack and the convicts said no, is there anything i can do for the pleco without having a hospital tank :/


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## johnmbowen (Dec 12, 2010)

gahhhh i need to get a 20 er 29 gallon for my convict pair so i can have a happy tank with bigger fishies


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## Chunkanese (Feb 4, 2011)

If you just get a larger tank you can easily house them all together. Convicts will breed pretty much in any situation and if it's just plecos you got they can handle that.


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