Makin babies

[Drewbstew]

So I have a thirty gallon set up with three convicts and two turquoise jewel cichlids any one know if the convicts.have babies would the jewels eat them cause twice now they had eggs once the fish grew to free swimming but in two days they were.fine the convict don't seem like they even let the jewel s near their little cave but I can't imagine what else could have happen the test strips showed everything being right on the temp was a little warm but I heard that helps couples mate any suggestions advice I plan on moving them to a 55 when everything is ready.

 

[Herotilapia_Multispinosa]

I cant see that tank set up working for very long but here it goes... Most likely the parents are eating them because of a few reasons or only one.
1. stress due to water quaity
2. Stress due to stocking volume of tank.
3. most cichlid parents eat their first few batches of fry due to inexperience in raising the fry.

 

[Drewbstew]

You don't see them working in a 55 why is that to small for those five

 

[Herotilapia_Multispinosa]

I can't see it working with the convicts living in a group of three because of the super aggressive nature of convicts. And if both decide to spawn at the same time that will be ****.

 

[Wy Renegade]

So I have a thirty gallon set up with three convicts and two turquoise jewel cichlids any one know if the convicts.have babies would the jewels eat them cause twice now they had eggs once the fish grew to free swimming but in two days they were.fine the convict don't seem like they even let the jewel s near their little cave but I can't imagine what else could have happen the test strips showed everything being right on the temp was a little warm but I heard that helps couples mate any suggestions advice I plan on moving them to a 55 when everything is ready.

Absolutely, as will the parents themselves. It has nothing to do with stress, it is the fundamental nature of omnivorous fish period. Any larger fish will eat any smaller fish (even their own fry) that they can catch. Parenting instincts in fish are not long term (i.e. they last only a short time, usually less than a couple weeks) nor do they remember that "hey that little guy is my offspring". Instead, they see a smaller fish and they think "food." If you wish to successfully raise the fry, you're going to need a larger tank with more hiding places or you're going to need to remove the fry before the larger fish start snacking on them and raise them in a seperate tank until they are large enough to survive.

 

[Drewbstew]

How soon should I take them out cause I had only saw them eating their eggs and the next day they were gone

 

[Drewbstew]

See I was told convicts were good parents so they were easy to raise im glad for the advice im just starting to get into this and that's why I wanted to start wit something easy 55 is the biggest tank I have right now I have every size smaller then that except a 40 multiple 10 n20s any suggestions

 

[Wy Renegade]

How soon should I take them out cause I had only saw them eating their eggs and the next day they were gone

Ok, now I'm confused. Are the adults eating the baby fry or the eggs? The parents should protect the eggs till they hatch. After they hatch out, it will become a free for all fairly quickly and fry should be removed as soon as you can catch them. Once they are free-swimming they don't need the parents for anything any more.

 

[Wy Renegade]

See I was told convicts were good parents so they were easy to raise im glad for the advice im just starting to get into this and that's why I wanted to start wit something easy 55 is the biggest tank I have right now I have every size smaller then that except a 40 multiple 10 n20s any suggestions

Fry can be grown out in a much smaller tank, generally without issue. I grow mine out in a 20L and switch them to a 30 as they get larger.