Will they breed?

[Andie]

I was on here a couple weeks ago posting about my convicts and their domestic disputes- in brief, Ruby hates Norman's guts and wanted to rip his eyes out, and Norman was shaking in his little finny boots.

Now, with the judicious application of a divider (eventually removed) in a big spread-out tank the little honeymooners have so far managed to go their separate ways and they don't mind it so long as they don't cross paths, and that's just fine for all three of us. However, it suddenly occurs to me to ask if affinity is necessary for convicts when it comes to breeding. I know that bettas need to hit it off in order to breed, but do cichlids as well? I personally don't mind it if the pair of them never get together at all but I do want to know if, given her intense desire to murder him, I should still watch out for fry or not, just so I can be prepared to deal with whatever might or might not pop up in there.

Thanks!

 

[Fishy411]

if theyre trying to kill each other....... no. im pretty sure convicts need to be able to stand each other if they have any hope of breeding

 

[Andie]

Thanks muchly All I needed to know, lol! (yes, she was trying to do him some damage. Now they just seem to agree to go their separate ways)

 

[digital_run]

Now they just seem to agree to go their separate ways

How long that last's is a different question....With a good sized tank ( lets just say 40-50gal ) two convicts can/might live quite peacefully. A pair of them in a smaller tank and especially with aggression already being a problem you'll probably run into more problems as they age.

Just my 0.02$ but i'd keep that divider handy.

Ðigital

 

[sub.42]

Andie,

Convicts breed with fervour. Take my floosy female Con, put her with polygamous Jade eye male, and bam. Not even the same species, and they do babies.

If they like each other, off you go, if not, get the net ready. One will go.

sub.

 

[Maroonostrich]

if theyre trying to kill each other....... no. im pretty sure convicts need to be able to stand each other if they have any hope of breeding

I guess it's a bit like people really- although you can't solve it by getting the fish drunk..

That worked for a bunch of peeps I knew in high school..

 

[Andie]

Thanks very much everyone; I'll definitely keep an eye on them, then, to make sure the aggression doesn't come back. So far they certainly don't enjoy interacting but neither does she go out of her way to attack him. They seem to have timed their appearances perfectly, so they don't have to cross paths And yes, the divider is definitely going to be kept handy. I'm not going to risk Ruby waking up one day with a raging case of hormones or something that send her right after Norman again- poor Norman! He's too much the little gentleman.