Convict Cichlids: One week old fry and now more eggs! OMG

[lauriecan]

Hello all,

My convict cichlids just hatched their first batch of fry last week, so I have about sixty wigglers in my tank now. Imagine my surprise when I went to the tank today and saw another batch of eggs on the back of the tank. I don't know if they are fertilized, but the dad is definitely hanging around them. I separated this pair from the rest of my tank with a plexiglass divider, so I'm not concerned about other fish getting them. Now I'm wondering if the parents will start taking out the older fry. Should I remove both or one of the parents? Is it normal for them to spawn again when they have such young fry? Also, should I separate the new fry from the older fry? Sorry for so many questions. I didn't know they reproduced this quickly. The old adage "breeding like bunnies" should be replaced with "convict cichlids." LOL

 

[toddnbecka]

Actually, I'd be more concerned about the other fish or the parents NOT eating the fry. What are you going to do with hundreds of convicts? Around this time last year I had a pair of cutteri spawn in a 29 gallon tank. They were excellent parents, and the whole brood grew out just fine. I moved the pair to another tank, and started moving some of the fry into a 40 with the Carapo knife fish that had (then) recently reduced several hundred endler's livebearers to less than 2 dozen. Cichlid fry are a bit "meatier" than endler's, and grow faster as well, faster than the Carapo could keep up with. I sold some, gave some to the lfs, and last winter culled 80+ young adults because I couldn't get rid of them and needed the tankspace. That was just one spawn, from a fully grown pair. I currently have 3 actively (actually more like constantly) breeding pairs in a 90, with 6 P. typus catfish to keep the fry in check. Out of well over 1000 fry only 2 have managed to reach 1", and appear to be off the catfish menu. The Carapo knife, still in the 40, also has a pair in the tank to keep up with. None of those fry have lasted more than a couple weeks, which is a good thing IMO.

 

[Ralphie126]

Convicts breed that fast...... Expect another batch soon..... You cold bring them to a lfs and see if they will take them or let them grow then sell them at one inch for free