# Tank Set-up for Cons...



## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

Last night we (me & kids) went to the LFS and bought 6 Convict juveniles (around 1").

How do I go about setting up the tank?

It is a 30" X 15" x 12" tank.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I'd set it up with a lot of hiding places for them, clay pots (broken, no bottom, unbroken, on sides, etc), some rocks, fake plants, etc. are all great decor. This will allow them to escape each other if there is any chasing and also adds "line of sight breaks".

Good luck! :thumb:


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

Thanks Chubbs...

I have the pots and rocks...

will have to look for plants though...


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## Boston_Guapote (Jun 2, 2003)

Here's a little video I like to follow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8NGAv7q ... r_embedded


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

WoW... as simple as 1,2,3,4...


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> I'd set it up with a lot of hiding places for them, clay pots (broken, no bottom, unbroken, on sides, etc), some rocks, fake plants, etc. are all great decor. This will allow them to escape each other if there is any chasing and also adds "line of sight breaks".


I agree!

I use rock and driftwood instead of clay pot, though clay pot is very usefull and practical as well. Once you obtain a pair and they grow larger, you may want to remove some decor to provide more swimming space.

30" x 15" x 12"-----you want to use space effeciently. Space is space and is at a premium in a CA tank! Provide a lot of shelter at the bottom of the tank. Large round rocks are very wastefull of valuable space. 2nd and 3rd layer caves are seldom utilized by CA cichlids so don't build them just to look pretty because it takes up valuable swimming space! I have found that a rock leaned up aginst a corner ( and secured with something heavy in front) is almost always the preffered cave and spawning site of many cichlids-----it uses up corners which are not useable swimming space and is more easily defended since it is protected with a wall on 2 sides.
Salvini with eggs:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/6o25.jpg
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/6o19.jpg
With wrigglers:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/6y9.jpg
Con pair using the corner as their cave....always the preffered area ('pink' male and striped female inside their area, shown at end of video):
http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/?action=view&current=MVI_2001.mp4
Jewels laying eggs:
http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z116/Bern-C/?action=view&current=fish3270.mp4


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks Bernie...

Lovely videos and I love the idea of using the corners...


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

Boston_Guapote said:


> Here's a little video I like to follow.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8NGAv7q ... r_embedded


He actually has a few of these similar videos on this main channel. They are great videos.

But back to the subject I would say that it really depends on what you like too as far as aquascaping. The clay pots are very popular for a reason (because they work very well), but you have to ask yourself if you like that look. I started off with pots in some of my early cichlid tanks but try for more of a natural look now and stick to rocks and drift wood mostly.

-Cage


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks Cage...

I've been keeping Mbuna for the last year or so and have tried to put lots of rocks i the tank...

I will see if I can find some flat rocks to put in the corners first, if I can't find'em, I'll work with pots...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

I have some pics cones lying around, can I use them in the tank instead of driftwood???


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

monisaab said:


> I have some pics cones lying around, can I use them in the tank instead of driftwood???


'pics cones'? Do you mean pine cones? Cause I wouldn't use those, would worry it would stain the water or something.

-Cage


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

ooops, sorry about that I meant Pine Cones...


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

I have never heard of anybody using pine cones in a tank before. I don't know that _I_ would try that but if you were thinking about it I would pre-soak them for a long time before putting them in.

But hey, just because I haven't heard it done doesn't mean it will not work.

-Cage


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks Cage...

I was wondering if they will have any ill-effect on the water chemistry???


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## cage623 (Feb 2, 2008)

I thought of this after my last post, pine needles are acidic. I don't think that means that pine cones are but it is something to consider. If you are going to try them you will need to do a good presoak anyways. So you could always test the water before and after the soak to see if it will effect it or not.

-Cage


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

Thanks again Cage...

thats the right idea, to check the parameters before soaking and then after a few days...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

looks as if we have got there are 2 pairs in the six fish that we had got...

2 fish have taken-over 1 side and 2 others have taken-over the other side of the tank...

Out of the remaining 2 fish 1 looks like a female as I can see the orangish shade on the belly, the 6th fish is the smallest of the lot...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

the first pair spawned and I've got a bunch of wrigglers...


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

monisaab said:


> the first pair spawned and I've got a bunch of wrigglers...


that was fast!!


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

lol... yes it sure is fast...

The parents are keeping the other pair and the lone female at the other corner of the tank...

How long should I keep the fry within the same tank?


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

looks as if the second pair has laid eggs too on the other side of the tank...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

A few pics:

First pair with the free-swimming fry:




























Second pair with the wrigglers:


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

Its WC time but I am not sure if I should change the water or not because of the fry and the wrigglers???

How much water should I change???


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

The first pair and their fry and doing well... they are using nearly half the tank...

The second pair ate their wrigglers a couple of days ago and the male ousted the female from the cave...

Should I change the female??? OR

Should I take 1 of the 2 females out of the 10 gallon and put the male in its place???


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

any advice/experience-sharing???


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## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

Store bought convicts are bullet proof, I have put them through quite a few test trying to understand how fish respond to different water parameters. Do water changes as you normally would.

As far as pulling fry, if you want to keep a large portion of them I would pull them, but I would suggest that for any fish. If you don't mind saving loads of fry then I would just leave them in with the parents and see how they fair.


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

monisaab said:


> The first pair and their fry and doing well... they are using nearly half the tank...
> 
> The second pair ate their wrigglers a couple of days ago and the male ousted the female from the cave...
> 
> ...


I await your advice/experience-sharing...


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

ahud said:


> As far as pulling fry, if you want to keep a large portion of them I would pull them, but I would suggest that for any fish. If you don't mind saving loads of fry then I would just leave them in with the parents and see how they fair.


At what age should I pull out the fry???


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## Mr.Dempsey (Jan 4, 2012)

Well before you go raising the fry whats your plan for the fry in the long run? Cause its going to be a chore trying to get rid of the fry and 90% of LFS wont buy them (at least around here) and once you pull the fry there just going to start breeding again, + with 2 pairs your going to have a boat load of fry on your hands. Unless you have somthing bigger to eat them i dont see how your going to handle all the fry. Im not saying you can't just saying its not going to be fun.


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## AmishDude (Apr 5, 2011)

I am no expert, please do not base all of your care of new fry just from me. Only my minimum experience is what I am telling you this.
I would take them out when they are little free swimmers (egg sac almost completely gone).

In a spare 10 gallon or so, probally no substrate (water change/poo cleaning ease) with maybe one clay pot half for cover. Filtration...nothing fancy, a sponge filter or some cheapo from wal mart would be A-OK. Mainly just watch the intake for it, put a net or something over it to prevent shredding of fry.

It was said before and I can agree from my own spawns...they are a pain in the as$ to get rid of. LFS _MIGHT_ take a few from you, but not all. Attempt to hand em off to a LFS, then try the list of craig. When I sold 20 of mine, I sold them un-sexed and gave the guy 30. Buck a piece though.....not a bad deal.

As Im typing this, my 4 in my 10 gallon are digging pits....
*pulls out hair*
These are children themselves!


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## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

I just keep mine in communities, you get to see the fun parental care and the fry get eaten after a few weeks.

Also, people are constantly talking about what to do with convict fry. ALMOST EVERY other central American is the same way. Centrals have tons of fry, you can only give so many to the LFS and you can only sell so many as well. So fry removal should not be the main concern for keeping cons, if you are keeping your fish healthy you will have that problem with the majority of fish.


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## monisaab (Jan 12, 2011)

thanks guys for the advice...

its my first convict spawn so I wanted to save the fry... but after reading your posts I've decided to leave them with the parents...

BTW how long will the parents care for the fry before getting ready for the next spawn and eating them???


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