Update On My Pink Convicts

[Athena]

The other week I posted on here about my Pink Short-bodied Pink Convicts having a large batch of fry and how I have rescued a few of the fry into a breeder trap.

The fry in the breeder trap are doing excellently - and surprise surprise, there are also still about 15 fry surviving in the main tank!!

I have had a major problem, though. The mother, Mildred, went all out to do a good job this time round of raising her fry, to the point I think she was neglecting herself a bit and not eating as much. She was protecting those fry so well she was even fighting off the male at one point as he had begun to eat off a lot of the fry.

So I don't think she was in tip-top condition at this point - must have been very worn out.

The next thing that happened in this saga was that George (the male) decided it was time to get frisky AGAIN and persistently tried to mate with Mildred. She wasn't interested at all in his advances and every time I looked in on them she was being pestered, chased and bullied. Spent most of her time trying to hide from him.

Her tail fin had become raggedy that day - not sure if he had been biting at it or whether she was just catching it on things in the tank during their high speed chases.

Anyway, by the end of that day there was still no let up and I knew I had to separate them because she was looking very stressed and worn out, trying to hide up by the filter, breathing heavily etc.

I managed to catch her and put her into the breeder trap with the fry that were already in there from last week. I just had to take a chance she wouldn't eat them. She was in a real sorry state and I wish I had acted sooner. Her tail fin is in a real mess and there are a few rips in other fins.

I began treating with half doses of Melafix - hoping it won't affect the fry - but I can't just leave her like that. The good sign is that she has begun to slowly accept food again and last night gobbled up some frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp.

How long do you think it's ok for me to keep her in this breeder trap? Should I wait until her fins are fully recovered or release her in the next couple of days. Not sure if being in that small space might be making her unhappy and hinder her recovery.

The male is still swimming up to the box and flaring his gills as her, headbutting the plastic walls of the trap - so I know he's not over his mating desires yet. I'm so scared that he will end up killing her with passion if I release her from now!!

What would you do in this situation?

(By the way, the box is roughly 7" long x 5 or 6" height x 4 or 5" depth (sorry, I should get exact measurements really). It has it's own airstone and spray bar at the top and a lid - it sits inside the top of my main aquarium and has tiny vents at the sides to that water can flow through and not become stagnant.

Thanks for any advice - Athena

 

[shroob]

I'd look into buying or making a divider of some sort, even an extra tank. I wouldn't want to keep her in the breeding trap for long.

Its not unknown for males to kill their partners if they arn't ready to breed again, I wouldn't say its common but its far from rare and often spoken about.

 

[saz326]

Make a divider even if it is made from old tights (pantyhose) and wire hangers.

Have a "blue peter" moment.

 

[Athena]

Thanks, Shroob - that's what I feared... You know when you can just tell by looking at a fish that they are about to "give up the fight"? That's how she looked, like she'd just about had enough.

It's a good thing she is only a small fish - roughly about 2.5inches - so she's not exactly squashed up in that box, but she's used to having a whole 3ft tank with George.

I think that had she not just worn herself out over this batch of fry, she would have been in better condition to withstand any unwanted advances from George. She's normally a real feisty female. But overwork, undereating and stress meant she didn't have the energy or stamina to deal with this mating session (gosh, I should take up fish psychology LOL ).

Wish I had room for another tank but the only place would be upstairs in the bedroom and I only go up there to sleep, so the fish would never get seen LOL!

Oh, I did try making a divider the other week when I was trying to separate George from Mildred and the fry. Don't laugh, but I used a wire coat hanger, re-formed it into a square "U" shape, stretched one of my stockings over it and pushed it into the gravel. I was so pleased with myself for my little invention - except within ten minutes, George had figured out that if he headbutted into it on one side, it would fall slightly, making a gap and giving him access to "next door"!

I even tried wedging fake plants against the sides of the divider to try to stop him from doing it - but he always managed it somehow.

So, my invention was resigned to the dustbin after a couple of days.

Thanks - I will leave her for another day or two I guess - at least to give her a chance of regaining some strength before facing that bully partner of hers.

Cheers - Athena