I'm just wanting as much info as I can get, is a 29 gallon adequat for 2 (a male and a female) convicts. Most places I have read on them and even opinions I've gotten here says a 29 is fine for a breeding pair.

That's my setup, exactly. They're just fine in there.

Thanks

What do ya do about the babies? Just let 'em have 'em then remove 'em later.

Babies can be a real problem with cons if you don't want to use them as feeders. Most LFS won't touch them and theres only a limited demand from people.

My cons actually ate their first set of babies... they're working on their 2nd right now. There's more than one LFS in my area that takes in Cons, and one of them even trades for cash (10% of the shelf price... it's not much but with 50 cons at a time, it can cover basic supplies).

Can 3 safely/adequately be put in a 29 gallon, or os it best to just put a pair in there?

Also would it be better to buy one of the pair at one LFS the get the other at another LFS, if possible. This would help to ensure that imbreeding wouldn't happen. and when I get them I should get two that's as close to the same age as possible?

3 probably won't work, because the pair is going to terrorize the one left standing. I would only recommend putting a pair of Con in a tank that size. A pair and an extra Convict would need quite a big tank to minimize aggression.

You have hit it spot on though. Try to get two roughly the same size (one male one female.) As you said, buying them from two different sources will help insure there isn't any inbreeding.


This post has been edited by DiscusLova: Apr 25 2008, 02:07 AM

Thanks for the reply man. How often should I feed them every other day, once every 3 days? I would consider them as somewhat pretadory fish so if something happens and say I don't feed 'em for a few days could/would they go after each other?

Also can I feed 'em flakes? I heard they weren't recommended for convicts?

I would buy 6 juvi's (3 male 3 female if possible) then grow them out to get a true pair, return the other 4 to the LFS once this pair forms. I would feed convicts twice a day personally. Though missing food for a few days isn't a big deal.
Flakes should be fine when they are small, but they don't offer the nutrition bigger fish need, so I would get them on pellets as soon as they are big enough.

They have to pair off I thought I could just buy a male and female at randow (ya know close to the same age but any male and any female) and they'd be good in there.