Breeding convicts

[Ralphie126]

Right now I have 2 females...once my bigger tank comes, I will get a male to breed... Will he breed with both girls or just 1?

 

[IvanMike]

Convicts aren't generally harem polygamists and form a semi-stable pair bond, so in 99% of the cases he will pair off and spawn with one, and the pair will harass the other one.

 

[toddnbecka]

Then what will you do with the hundreds of fry (that nobody will want) that they'll produce on a regular basis?

 

[IvanMike]

heh - let them get picked off or feed them to the re-housed girl in her own tank.

just because convict fry are not all that sell-able is no reason not to watch the best part of being a cichlid owner IMO. They can always be used as food for fish in other tanks, or in a large community tank they get picked off. I had convicts in a 125 for years and the bred all the time - the other fish ate most of them and the lucky ones got sold.