convict mating?

I heart cichlids · March 18th, 2008

At what age do convicts breed? Mine are young...maybe an inch, and an inch-and-a-half long, at best. My wife noticed today that it looked like they were doing a mating dance...circling and flipping around each other? It didn't look like they were chasing each other.

I have no idea.

sunstrip · March 18th, 2008

I found this my friend...hope it helps:

Quote:

Someone once described breeding convicts as "just add water and fish", and this is pretty accurate! An excellent fish for beginners to start breeding, but just be careful what you wish for... these fish breed at the drop of a hat and will produce many young. The male and female will pair off, and do a mating dance that involves shaking their heads at one another. They prefer to lay their eggs on the inside of a flower pot, as shown in the picture, and both parents will usually dig a depression in the gravel around it. A breeding pair will vigorously defend their territory against encroaching fish, and will quickly push all the other inhabitants of the tank to the opposite corner. They are one of the very best when it comes to parental care, and will sometimes bury newborn fry when they are threatened, so don't be alarmed if they go missing for a day. Fry usually hatch in under a week, and take another 3-4 days to consume their yolk sacs and become free-swimming (do not feed during this time). Once swimming on their own, they can be fed live microworms. They will also take fry powder foods and then eventually graduate to flake food.

Allie · March 19th, 2008

Convicts start breeding when they are fairly tiny 2" and don't stop unless you just have one alone or all of the same sex.

Shawnie · March 19th, 2008

ok how do ya sex them bad boyz when they are so lil?? I been lookin for the "hump" in the head(no pun intended there) or the "red" under a belly etc...

Shawnie · March 19th, 2008

well..i think i have a pair of mating convicts..

.i came home today, and even tho mine are a lil bigger than an inch, i can deffinately see a orangy/red swollen belly on one...now i gotta do a scramble this weekend to remove the other fish and move them to my 30 gal...so much for the LFS selling me two males.

.I thought I had enuf kids LOL!

Shawnie · March 19th, 2008

ps..should I do anything special for these nawty pair!?

I heart cichlids · March 20th, 2008

By looking at the replies, they're definitely male and female, and may soon enough be parents.

I added a small clay flower pot into the tank so they have someplace to watch over the fry. I put it in with the tiny hole against the back of the tank so they can't get out back there. I was thinking about burying the pot in the gravel most of the way so the wide opening would be even smaller.

Any ideas there?

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