# New too the Convicts cichlid family and need help ASAP!!!



## moeell (Sep 7, 2009)

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Hi all, my family and i adopted two convicts cichlids, on Thursday we had babies, well babies that we could see, now today the male is chasing the female, won't let her by her babies and he is biting her, why is this going on, what do I need to do? Thanks!!


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## Lancerlot (Feb 22, 2006)

Not much. If the male. or female feels the other is not taking proper care of the fry they will chase each other off. Most likely 1 of them will eat all the fry then they will spawn later on. I think this will keep happening till they get it right.


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## moeell (Sep 7, 2009)

Ok, well i just hope he doesn't kill her! Also since they've had babies, they are much darker there stripes, is this normal?


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## Lancerlot (Feb 22, 2006)

It's called breeding colors. All cichlids do that.


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## moeell (Sep 7, 2009)

Well how long will he chase her around? Will this happen all the time, i mean he's being really mean too her, i feel so bad for the Mom


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## eddy (Jan 16, 2009)

moeell said:


> Well how long will he chase her around? Will this happen all the time, i mean he's being really mean too her, i feel so bad for the Mom


 Don't feel bad for mom. She is probably trying to eat her own babies and dad is protecting them from her......Just remove the fry and that should fix your problem and next time they will probably parent the fry as a team.


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## Diaster (Aug 17, 2009)

For the sake of mom I would remove her into another tank "depending on how big your tank is" If he is actually biting her and inflicting damage that is visible she should be removed or he will most likely kill her. Fish dont really learn all that much and she will keep swimming into the "danger zone" where he will attack her over and over again until she is down. Cichlids can be frustrating but you will soon see that they are the most fascinating creatures than can swim in your tank. Enjoy the parenting skills of your cichlids as its very unique to them. :fish: :fish:

Congratulations on the spawn! =D>


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

If I have a pair that's acting like this my standard it to seperate everyone. Mom and dad will go into seperate tanks, fry will remain. It's easier to remove the parents then it is the fry.

If you don't want this happening anymore then you need to get rid of either the male or the female.

Convicts are the rabbits of fresh water


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## moeell (Sep 7, 2009)

Well thanks for all the advice, today they seem to be getting along, it's just so weird! They are so incredible to watch and my children and myself enjoy it a lot! They are in a 45 gallon concer tank, so i think and hope that is enought room for them! Will they eat all there babies? Thanks again!


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## Diaster (Aug 17, 2009)

It is an amazing thing to watch. 45gallons is great for cons barring you dont have a bunch of other fish in the tank which I am assuming you dont. Something that may curb parental aggression is to add some dithers. They will also help you take care of some fry that you will soon have a surplus of


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## moeell (Sep 7, 2009)

I'm sorry what are dithers? and they are alone in there tanks


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

moeell said:


> I'm sorry what are dithers? and they are alone in their tanks


Hi moeell,

Dithers are "target" fish that can be used to dissipate or re-direct aggression of cichlids. It is important that you use a fast and hearty fish so your convicts donâ€™t kill them all right away. I personally use tiger barbs and/or various tetras (lamp eye, black skirt, or Congo) The Congo tetras will get 4-6 inches so may produce too much waste and be too much of a bio-load on your tank. I suggest getting a small school (4-10) dithers and the weakest ones will quickly be picked off, and the faster larger ones will hopefully survive and distract your male convict.

I do not have much experience with dithers in a tank with fry/ a breeding pair, so hopefully someone else will chime in. I am stoked your family is enjoying the cichlids. Your tank size is great for two breeding convicts. I hope your female is ends up ok.

Thanks,
Matt


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

They may take a few spawns for some to successfully survive...they will spawn again :lol: 
about 3+ weeks old









My dithers are JDs. :wink:

I've got some of the aforementioned tetras...don't know how well they would do in the same tank as the Cons and JDs though.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

mslancaster said:


> Dithers are "target" fish that can be used to dissipate or re-direct aggression of cichlids.


No. Target fish is the term to focus the aggression of pairing cichlids. Dither fish is the term for using schooling fish (most often) to draw out shy cichlids by showing them there are no predators about. They are two completely differant terms.


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## berlee.1025 (2 mo ago)

Hi me and my boyfriend bought 3 cichlids awhile ago along with 2 red devils and a jack dempsey. The cichlids laid eggs but unfortunately was eaten. The cichlids are finally in a tank alone but we are unsure the sex of the fish, we don't know know how to tell the difference? There is a dark cichlid that sits in a skull and the other two outside that are lighter but if they go near the skull they darker cichlid will chase them around and away? Why?? Please 🙏


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Do you know what species the Cichlids are? Are they even Convicts? If not, can you post up a picture or two to help identify them?


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