# convicts Quiston!



## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Hello eveyone, i have just few quieston about "Convicts".

First off i got 4 females (3 females just bought today) and i have 1 male. The male keeps chasing the females is this a sgin of playing or the females do not like the male.
Also ever since i but my females in the tank with him his color change it want from gray to brownish blackish it was kinda weard is this a sign?

People also say Convicts are easy to breed is this also ture bec for me its really hard even when i have 4 females!

- hope you guys can help me out thank so much

- Mr.perfect Star 
(cody Star)


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

It's only been 1 day... You'll have eggs by the end of the week... Just kidding - but maybe not. Once he selects a female and they start to breed they probably will do so like clockwerk. Depending on the size of your tank the pair (when it forms) may kill the other females.

It may also depend on their age... Typically more mature fish will be more apt to spawn - while rare I have had some of my convict babies spawn in their grow out tank. They were both an inch or less and they actually had free swimming fry.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

My tank side is 29 gallon and also have a 10 gallon that is for the females (that are not the one) to go into that tank or whatever.

But for right now the 10gallon tank is a healing tank (on of my females gotten beaten up by the male)

But what i'm going to do is take pictures and upload so you can tell me if their mature or whatever.

And thank you illy-d for your help 

keep siwming

:fish: :fish: :fish:


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

How big are they?

...Bill


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

Do you have any hiding places in the tank? Generally the male will pursue a mate pretty aggressively and more often than not she will agree. However in the process there can be some bad aggression. I've also seen females fight over males as well. I think 2M/2F is a better group than 1M/3F.

With some rocks or other hiding territory the ones getting picked on can retreat and take a break. Having cover also gives the breeding pair that will develop a more easily defended place to spawn so they will take up less of the tank when defending their eggs/fry.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ok i can't get pictures of them. But i well descarped

i have one that has orange bell (you can see) with ornge on your fins to 9 a little) or whatever.
and she very proected of her area.

the other female as orange little smeller then the male very very protect of her rock. doesn't leave that rock!

or w/e

i can try to uploaded them again.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

ok i have a really big quiston, and i need some ones help! bec if this is ture i'm going to be freaking happy!

Ok i have a female, that is gurading something in your rock (i call it that bec it is her rock) she been like werd she doesn't let nuthing come into that area. if something comes close to the rock her colors change to a dark black, her neck like come out or something i cant descrid it but its like a warning sgin kinda. But anyway's she been guarding something in this rock. But anyway's today (May 6 2009) when i got home from school like 10 min ago i want up stairs into my room and see what she was doing. she was out of her rock. so i wanted to go check so i did i left off the rock that is blocking her hole to see (her enterince) i got it off then when i put my hand little close to that rock She attacked my figure..

does this mean she has eggs or she going to have eggs in this area? 
how can i check? with out getting attacked by her and the male (boss)

ps

this is a new female that was added into this tank May 3 (sunday) 2009.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

It could be (might be a bit quick). She might just have a temper and wants the rock for her own. How does she and the male react to one another? Have you seen them liplock or tail slap? Usually the fish need some time to get their body rhythms synchronized, so you'll see courting behaviour.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

SHE JUST LAYED EGGS!!!!!
layed: May 06 2009 3:21 pm!


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

haha well that was quick. guess your cons lived up to their reputation.

Keep a very close eye on that tank, the aggression is likely to heat up.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ok doen't the eggs hatch 4 days after they were layed?
and the female has been attacking the male should i remove him? or should i keep him in their? or well he attack her? or something???

idnk sorry i'm just very happy this is my first time i saw Eggs upclose lol..


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

Generally the parents won't attack each other, is she attacking a non-parent? I would remove the two males that aren't the father. The parents will guard the eggs and will fight with the other two. If you have enough cover everyone will be ok most likely but if you can remove the non-parents that would be best.

In 3-4 days the eggs will be 'wrigglers' and the parents will likely move them. Another 4-5 days after that they will be free swimming and the parents will protect the fry cloud anywhere from 2 weeks to months (it really varies). Often the parents decide to either eat or stop protecting the fry when they want to breed again.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

I only have 1 male. and that the male that she bread unless when i gotten she was holding them lol... is that possble lol..

(feel stupid atm)

how can i tell if they stop careing for them if so should i take them out of that tank and move them into my 10 gallon tank? or the parent (fish) that holding the fry in the mouth? into the 10 gallon tank?

what should i do

and thank you for the help 

keep swming
-mr perfect star
(cody star - King of the internet/world of warcraft-)


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Well it's possible she laid without any males to fertilize the eggs, in which case they'll turn white over the next day or two and eventually get eaten.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

ugh but they were along for a few min coudn't she mated with him or whatever and she over protecting them?

and if so if that is the problem wells he mate with my male? bec today and yesterday they female and male were in the rock togther with out fighting....


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Well it could be either. Sometimes females get a little nuts protecting the eggs from anything. You'll just have to wait and see...

If they were together in the rock not fighting, it sounds like it might be what you're hoping for...


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ok thank you.

I'm just hoping to god. that this is going to work! i well be so freaking happy!!!


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

The female lets, the male come close on her terms! if not she well attack him. I think mabye you are right she kinda is stressed or something. mabey she need to eat more. ( i feed her like 20 times she doesn't eat that much only when the food floats towards her and her nest)

- But i hope her eggs dont die on her. she looks like she really loves them! -

but females cant fertilize their eggs bythem self. bec they male and female need to do the specail dance on the rock (mating)

bec i remember 10 min befor she layed them the male and her like attacked the other females.

but whatever i hope some1 that is good at this kind of fish!

- thanks cody star
keep swming eveyone

:fish: :fish: :fish:


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

You'll know she has stopped protecting them when they disappear 

If you are looking to raise the fry one thing I do to capture them is to stick a syphon right into the fry cloud after they are free swimming and suck them out. I usually get about 3/4 of the fry with this method and leave the rest for the parents to watch as long as they want. Also, at the egg stage, if the eggs are on something removable you can just move it to the other tank. Problem with removing them that early is I've had one partner kill the other after eggs were removed.

If you are going to raise them all do you have plans for them?

If you are looking to do some serious con breeding with two tanks the sticky at the top of the forum has a nice method for raising fry.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Alright, and guss what i found 4 white eggs thoues are dead eggs currect?

But she still watching them just keep watching them 

I dont care if 1 or 2 stay alive lol.


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

Yep white eggs are bad ones. Usually the parents will remove those to keep them from rotting the rest. New parents don't always get everything right the first time though.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Let them be. If you get fry - let thm be. These guys will go through the mating process like clockwork so don't feel that you have to do anything to save the fry - chances are in no time you will have too many fry and won't be able to get rid of them.

The only thing you should do for now is keep an eye on the tank and remove the other convicts if you see them getting beat on, hiding in a corner or hiding with clamped tail fin.

Otherwise just watch and enjoy - you are witnessing the coolest thing about cichlids and what sets them apart from other fish (the parental care).

The behaviour you will see over the next couple of weeks is what makes Convicts a favourite of even the most experienced hobbyist.

Congrats!


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

yea your got a point. Thank you all very much for helping me with my quiston. But guss what i have another. Sorry 

but anways can a female and male h8 each other at first then become mates after they fight?


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Mrperfectstar said:


> can a female and male h8 each other at first then become mates after they fight?


That perfectly describes the romantic chaos of the Convict cichlid. My Cons were like hyper active, hormone riddled, high school drama queens...

Part of this behaviour (I think) has to do with 'natural selection'. Convicts grow up in the rough, tough waters of Central America - it's not like Mr. Rogers neighbourhood, competition is fierce. Each fish wants to be sure that it's mate is robust and worthy enough to breed with... Breeding takes a lot of energy for females in particular, but both parents want the other to be tough to help ensure their offspring are as tough as possible - only the toughest survive, and in nature it's all about keeping your lineage going.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Lol thanks illy-d your very helpful, i really do thank you!

But eveyone my male fish "boss" is now to see the baby eggs the female is letting him. Hes guarding them with her now when she goes down her rock (right next to the eggs) he watchess them. and yea

its kinda cool so far none dead.

Layed eggs (may 6th 2009) 
Female let male see babyes (may 7th 2009) 
---MORE COMMING SOON!---

does the laying of the eggs count as 1 day so today is the 2nd day?


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

My female moved her eggs can they do that? 
bec my female did. (she hide them) i found them so she didn't eat them so yea


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

yep...here's my recent post...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=193027


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

*Riceburner*
We have the same rocks  
Lol but anway's they move the eggs for some reason currect? or to make them feel safer?!

But so today is day 3 i'm gussing of the eggs so far non dead!

(days)

laying days may 6th 2009
mom lets dad to see the fry (eggs) may 7th 2009
Mom moved eggs 8th of may 2009

some please answer my quiston blew this line
________________________________________

Does day 1 count as a day? or not really?


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

if it was the morning i'd count it as a day, if at night maybe not. Your water temperatures also has an effect on how quickly the eggs develop, so it won't be exactly a set number of days.

(Don't go upping the temperature to speed them up!)


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

Comic has a good point, its not an exact science. You can't mark on your calendar and predict when they will hatch.

When they hatch it is really anti-climatic since they still won't be free swimming for several days, they just wiggle for a while. One they are free swimming (approximately 1 week from spawn) that's when its gets really fun watching the parents keep them wrangled up.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

My tempeture is ies like 86+.
And they were layed about ummm afternoon ish so mabye sunday you proble.


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

86! That's pretty warm! Don't drop the temperature suddenly or drastically...but 80-82 is as high as i'd go with fry, and high 70s otherwise. I'll defer to experience, but 86 seems pretty high.

good luck with the fry!


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

I think their some that hatch! i see something little that moveing in the nest lol... 
How can i see them they blind so good into this white rock! (their nest) and if the fry does that mean that male that is in the tank the father. I dont don have another males in this fish

i have 1 male and 4 females and **** now


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

Do you have a divider? You could add a divider if one parent (the male, probably) gets antsy to spawn again and the female isn't ready, leaving her with the fry. Or you could separate the parents from the fry int he same tank.

Just make sure you leave the fry in the tanks they were born in, or that the new tank is filled with water from the original. I've heard plenty of stories of people moving fry to a "fresh tank" just to have them all die form the shock.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Should i put him with the other females that are waiting for a male :wink:

But i know that Cichlids hold the fry in the mouths, but the female looks like she eating them... or is it just me?


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

_Some_ cichlids hold fry in their mouths (Africans). Convicts don't. She could be moving them, or eating them. You'll have to watch closely.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ill keep watching.. But it looks like she moving them bec she doing something on the bottom of the the nest. the rock is looks like this










holes for the fry to hide in


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

She's probably moving them. Mine move them as the change from egg to wriggler about 80% of the time.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

is a little too warm for most all CA cichlids, 78-80 dergrees is just about right. You can go as low as 74 but 78 is considered on the money.

There is little need to move the fry. Convicts make excellent parents and will raise them better than we can. From what you describe it sounds like the fry are being moved .This is normal . Just let things be and you'll have all the convicts you can handle and then some :lol: .

Putting the male with the other females isn't needed, and may result in another spawn however the stress from you rmoving the male could cause the female to eat the fry. I say this situation isn't broken so lets not try and fix it :wink: .


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ahh you got a point i just have Star in their with her the wrigglers. I'm just going to lower it just about 80 bec their still more eggs when i see more eggs like dispering (fry hatching) ill lower it to 78 so it doesn't miss up the babies

but can cons be really protcted over their fry, bec my fermale is like watching them 24 7 and she been bushing the male fish named boss away from the babies and hes is the only male con in my fish.

Names of my fish:
Male: Boss
Female1: Star
Female2: Fire
Female3: Ferice 
female4: baby

(lol i know weird names)

but anway's i have the male fish with the other females for a few day's and then ill let him back in. or should i keep him in their (put him back) with his babies?


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Moving them around will stress them like I mentioned . The reason the female is pushing the male out of the spawning area is 1. to protect the fry from him just in case he gets any funny ideas 2. to make sure he's doing his job of patroling the area and chasing off any intruders. Like I said before , normal . Since you have moved him, I wouldn't put him back . He's not going to recognize the fry and will most likely kill them if mom gives him half a chance. Wherever he is now just leave him . If he happens to spawn with another female , move the others but not the pair. It really sounds like you need to rehome a few females , since your running low on options for them :wink: .


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

**** ugh i just moved him back into the tank!!!!
i dont want stars babys to die so i move him back to normal tank and i'm not moving him back to stars tank!

ughhhh brb!


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ok hes out of the Star tank!!

now he wont be back into her tank tell the babyes are big to fight him!


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

The more you mess with this the harder your gonna make it for yourself. Be patient, let the fish do their thing and you'll be rewarded with lots of fry . You really do need to consider rehoming some or getting more tanks though. One breeding pair of cons is normally plenty for most of us and considering how prolific they are in a few weeks they'll be at it again :wink: . Trust me you'll be up to your ears in them in no time . I'm sure that someones already asked , but what are you gonna do with the fry?


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Ok i'm keeping the male in the female tank tell the fry are lil biger or allow to move then ill get the fry and put them in a tank that only for fry (the fry tank/healing tank/Female tank) but don't warry i have ideas.. 

Keep about 10 of them and sell them to a pet store and give a few to people that need something in their lifes.

but how meany eggs that cons can lay like 90 or up


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Mature Cons can lay a couple of hundred eggs , younger Cons around a 100 give or take .

Your going to be doing good if a LFS will take your cons. They are so common and so prolific that many wont take them. However some will and most likely they'll offer store credit rather than money but it's better than nothing  .


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Lol ya that good, good getting instore credit  i say that!

but i don't think that petco or petsmart were i life have it!

When do i take out the fry so the female doesn't eat them? week 3 or 2?


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Depends on whether or not the female continues to care for them , but somewhere around then is good.

Very few if any of the big box stores will take fry, and many wont accept a return of a fish that's causing problems. Your best bet is to check out your phone book yellow pages for tropical fish stores or do a web search for tropical fish stores in your local area. They would be your only real hope to try and trade your cons. Also you could run an add on craigslist. They dont allow outright sales of fish and pets but you could trade or give away the grown fry that way. I've never done it but if all else fails it's a good alternative. Oh and one last thing , if there are any fish clubs in your area then joining one is a great way to possibly unload some fry. Also they can be very helpful for getting some good used tanks at a good price. Just food for thought.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Star is doing good, for her first time having a fry! Just let you know the male is in with the other females so he can spawn with another female. And Thank you for your ideas i well talk to my local tropical fish store! 

*Just let you know we are in:* 









*Star still have babies in their eggs, their only 1 that hatch mabye he or she is an early hatcher. Ill keep you posted and up to date with Star and her babies!*

I wont to know when does the parents let their babies move by them self? 

I have a website for star and my other cichlids lol go check it out 

http://convictscichlids.tk/


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## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

hahaha, glad you're having a good time.

But for reference, one of the local LFS has a special this week...2 convict cichlids for $1.99! Hopefully you'll get enough credit for some food or something!


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

When well Star let her babies move bythem self?

Let you know they all hatch!


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Once they become free swimming. Takes a week or so but she'll still keep them together in a school for a while. They won't really roam freely for a couple of weeks though they may move around the spawning area on their own. Since they're by themselves with the female they may be allowed to move around a little more freely.


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

my cons *both* participated in moving the free swimmers from one area to another. Sucked them up and spit them out where they wanted them... :lol:


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

But i remove the dad. Bec i think he well eat the babies. Just the female is in their do you think that she well move them?

or should i re put the male back in their?


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

She'll move them as she sees' fit to move them. Mine would move the newly hatched wriglers to a hiding spot for a few days then as they fry aproached the free swimming stage they moved them again. Once the fry were free swimming they would herd them around to different places in their territory. After a few weeks though the care became more lax and the fry began swimming where they wanted. This about the same time that the parrents would start digging new pits and preping a site for a new spawn. 
Putting the male back in the tank will be a big problem for the fry. If and when he spawns with a female in the other tank , leave him with the female and you'll get to see this behavior then .


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

The tank that the females and the male are now are going to be the fry tank very soon after i see them swming by them selfs i'm taking them out and putting them in the fry tank! then the females and male are going back into the main tank.

or ill buy like a really smell gallon tank for fry and put them in their or something.. what should i do?


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Well the male fish eat them, if i put him back into stars tank? or well star like attack him like carzy?

and i saw a swiggers their so cute lol..

:lol: :lol:


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

*Ok last night boss want into a new tank! (the female tank) that holds 3 females in their for right now!

but anway's Boss and ferice was dancing togother like they were hold each other mouths and looked like their where dancing. and after that they been swiming with each other i blieve and they are hiding in a rock togther does this mean very soon they well spawn 

if so what should i do with star and her babies keep them in their and get a divader for a 30 or 29 gallon tank?

and put the boss and ferice on the other side of star?

ugh people are right convict do breed like a wild fire!! *


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Welcome to the world of spawnong convicts. They never stop and soon you will have more babies than you know what to do with. Its fun at first but as you can see becomes a real problem later.

...Bill


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Yea Lol :lol:

What do you think should i but the male back in stars tank? or should i not?


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

We are no longer in star watch!

But anyway's star is keep the babies in the nest.. their in the swiming stage right now i see them moving like swiming!

when well they move out of the nest? do you think????


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

OMG!!

ok star finely let them out the the nest, and let them swim now she picking them back up and putting them back into the nest... is that neturel for Cons to do that?

after she moved i blieve she moved them all back she keeps going back into that area were the fry been for a few min... and go back and then to the nest and back to that place and stuff... is she missing a babie or something

HELP!!!

if so well she find the babie?

  

HELP HELP HELP!!!!


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

Everything is fine, she's just doing what Cons do. She knows where they are , she's just keeping them safe from any threats . She'll keep doing that for a while untill they're big enough that she cant keep them contained . just sit back and enjoy the show  . By the way that big face that keeps coming up to the glass is why she's hiding them :wink: .


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

Leave the male in the tank, take him out. It doesn't really matter. Some fry will be lost which is why they have so many. Don't worry about some missing or dying. The biggest thing to worry about is what will you do with them all? If you have both parents in the tank sometimes they will eat the batch when they are ready to make another batch, sometimes they won't If you have other fish in the tank when they stop protecting them the problem takes care of itself. Bottom line is if you don't have anything that will use them for feeders then most likely you will have significantly more fry than you can get the LF to take, even for free. They also don't usually take them in until they are 3/4"or 1" which takes a 2-3 months during which you will have 2-3 more batches of fry.

My two sets of con parents are in with several other preadators and I get to watch them build a nest, have fry, protect them and start over every 30-90 days (it varies how long they protect them before they start a new batch. After they stop protecting them their numbers just get a little smaller and a little smaller every day until you just have the currently protected batch. Except of course for the occasional trooper who is good at hiding and months later you see a 1 1/2" convict in there you didn't know you had and you kinda root for him.

Most importanly sit back, relax, and have fun watching their parenting skills :thumb: 
If you want to take it up a notch, have two sets of parents. If their breeding cycles sync up and both sets have similar sized fry, fry will go back and forth between the two sets of parents and they raise/protect them cooperatively. That is, of course, if you have a plan for the fry.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

I just re add the male and hes protacting them with the female they protection them togother so that good sgin. But so when should i remove the pareints bec don't you need to remove them 3 weeks after or watch for a sgin that they want to spawn again?

any one know when to remove the praints bec i hear people say 3 weeks or whatever... ugh confusing....

help pleas thank you!

and you all been very helpful thank you very much!


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## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

After they've been free swimming for several days you can remove them. There is pros and cons to removing them. The pro is you eleminate the risk of the parents clearing them out to make room for new fry. The cons are the fry grow a little slower and sometimes there is a lot of aggression between the parents after you take them away from their children. If you want to remove them gently, you can remove the male at about a week and the female at about 2-3 weeks.


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## Mrperfectstar (Apr 28, 2009)

Gush its hard being a breeder lol, babies come like carzy with Cons lol. But lucky i have plans for the fry (place for them) i gotten that done! Now i just need to think when i should remove the male bec he hasn't seen the babies since they hatch  and the female saw them since they were layed lol and their in the swiming stage.

They started swiming (when i saw it) was on Monday afternoon (or sunday but i'm sure monday) so now they are swiming they really little lol... but whatever.

Just need help dicided what to do and when to remove the parents.

Remove the male but like i said befor male haven't seen them very long and female been watching them since they were layed lol.

any suggestion and when i should remove the parents and get ready for more babies lol  !!

- Mr.Perfect Star 
Just keep swiming :lol:
:fish: :fish: :fish:


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## Trevor55 (Jan 9, 2009)

When I breed my convicts, I leave the fry in with the pair for about a month or so. Then I take them out and move them into the fry tank. But this is all up to you. In my experience, the fry grow and develope better when left with the parents. :fish:


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

lol...I did a WC just after my latest were free swimming. The parents gathered them all together and kept them in the "nursery" cave till I was done.


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