Breeding Convict Cichlids

[OscarWilde]

Hello all

Really keen to have a go at breeding fish and have heard that Cons are some of the easiest. I have kept Oscars before but no other Cichlids. I have not been able to locate a breeding pair but have found someone local eBay with 10 Convicts at around 1" each.

Main questions are:

- Im aware that one you have a breeding pair that is pretty much all you can have in the tank so am I correct in thinking that I can add all 10 to one tank until a couple pair off?
- Is so, how long is the "Window" I have to do this?
- Im gussing that the 10 convicts I have found are "related" are there likely to be prbloblems with beeding? It does seem a little immoral....
- At 1", how long until they are at breeding age.

You can see my current stocking below.

Planning to rehome some stock from my 50G in to the 20G and move the Barbs form my 30G over to the 50G Freeing up the 30G for the Convicts.

Many thanks

 

[Colin_T]

You can just buy a male and female and they will pair up in a couple of weeks. Then give them a cave to hide in and they will breed.
Most fish in shops are related and if you buy a pr of fish from anyone, chances are they will be related. I personally try to find fish at different stores in an attempt to minimise inbreeding.
They can breed as soon as they are sexable, about 1 inch The females get an orange belly and the males get longer pointed dorsal and anal fins.
You can keep barbs and bigger tetras with the convicts when they are breeding or you can keep them on their own. A 20gallon tank would be heaps for a pr of convicts.

 

[bluetrane2028]

If you let them pair up naturally, it can make for a stronger pair bond. Still, getting Cons to breed is like "add water and fish." If you had a bigger aquarium with plenty of hiding places (55), you could probably get away with leaving quite a few in there.

 

[darkwolf29a]

When I had mine...thankfully, they have been given to another happy owner now, I put 4 of them together, 2 males and 2 females. I let them pair off. Unfortunately, they did that one night, and killed the other 2 while I was sleeping. If you provide a big enough place for them to run in, and hide in...you should be able to, at least, give the nonmated pair a chance of survival until you can catch them and move them into something else.

 

[tuskancharger]

When I had mine...thankfully, they have been given to another happy owner now, I put 4 of them together, 2 males and 2 females. I let them pair off. Unfortunately, they did that one night, and killed the other 2 while I was sleeping. If you provide a big enough place for them to run in, and hide in...you should be able to, at least, give the nonmated pair a chance of survival until you can catch them and move them into something else.

new lay today only had for 3 weeks good fun watching them defend the eggs