Can a non breeding pair of convict cichlids breed?

I have a 55 gallon tank, and I want to add a breeding pair of convicts in there, but the LFS doesn't have one. do I wait for one to come in? or can I get any male and female and will they breed? thanks!

 

the saying goes: How do you get convicts to breed? Add water! That's what I've read everywhere that if you have a male and a female that you will get little convicts. I have two females and one of them is in constant breeding dress trying to impress my blood red parrot (who is not impressed but tolerates her)

 

the saying goes: How do you get convicts to breed? Add water! That's what I've read everywhere that if you have a male and a female that you will get little convicts. I have two females and one of them is in constant breeding dress trying to impress my blood red parrot (who is not impressed but tolerates her)

hah that is funny. ive heard the best way is to get 6 and watch a pair form, but I don't have the space for 6 if ya know what I mean

edit: ive heard that the male could chase around the female if they haven't bonded. is that alright?

 

If a young male and a female were washed up on a deserted island for years I think they would breed, at times you take what's available.
Same with convicts, 1 + 1makes lots

 

hah that is funny. ive heard the best way is to get 6 and watch a pair form, but I don't have the space for 6 if ya know what I mean

edit: ive heard that the male could chase around the female if they haven't bonded. is that alright?

If you're worried you could add one male and two females and see who wins his heart and take the other back. Good luck catching them though, and use extreme caution if you have anything else in that tank because breeding convicts are terrorists.

 

You don't even need water for them to breed. And once they figure it out look out. You will have more fish then water. Stripping the tank and having 30 of them in there doesn't even stop them.

 

The whole stocking 6 of any fish comes from breeders trying to get pairs with un sexable fish .
Math says 5 is just about as good as 6 if you wanted to be frugal..
With convicts I don't believe they are one of the choosey cichlids about mates ..I would think you pick a pair and go !
So first I will say careful what you ask for ,then ask .
Why convicts ? No place on earth will give you more then a dime for them ? No disrespect as breeding anything is fun IMO .I have bred a few fish if you do breed then you face the end game ..What do you do with the fish ?
You are going to learn some hard fish breeding lessons with them IMO ..

 

Some on here may not like this but I ended up making most of my convicts into cat food.

 

If you're worried you could add one male and two females and see who wins his heart and take the other back. Good luck catching them though, and use extreme caution if you have anything else in that tank because breeding convicts are terrorists.

I have a juvenile oscar and bichir which are going into the 125 once they get big

The whole stocking 6 of any fish comes from breeders trying to get pairs with un sexable fish .
Math says 5 is just about as good as 6 if you wanted to be frugal..
With convicts I don't believe they are one of the choosey cichlids about mates ..I would think you pick a pair and go !
So first I will say careful what you ask for ,then ask .
Why convicts ? No place on earth will give you more then a dime for them ? No disrespect as breeding anything is fun IMO .I have bred a few fish if you do breed then you face the end game ..What do you do with the fish ?
You are going to learn some hard fish breeding lessons with them IMO ..

I would feed them to the oscar

 

I would feed them to the oscar

You have to do it when they are really small. Convicts grow quick.

 

I would feed them to the oscar

My first experience with convicts was this very situation. I had a pair of 8-9" oscars and a friend had a metric ton of convict babies, so I took a few to feed them. They ate a few, but a few survived... Then in no time I had inbred baby convicts in every corner of the tank. I ended up getting rid of all of them.

The same friend also gave me a bunch of black mollies. Oscars made short work of them except one male. He was hands down the meanest fish I ever owned. Downright savage and everytime this little 1" fish went to one side of the tank, my fully grown oscars would vanish like a fart in the wind.