what's happening to my convict eggs

[cichlidcasey]

I have 6 convicts living with 2 Texas cichlids and an African knife fish in a 56 gal aquarium. Convicts range from 1-2 1/2 inches and texans are male 2 1/2 inch female 3 inch and knife fish is 4 inch. I have 2 pots one in each corner OD the tank and also a cave for breeding. There are 2 mature pairs of convicts and they lay eggs and the male does his part. After a few days I wake up and eggs are gone. I know they're fertile because the color ans they never turn white. I wake up and their gone. I don't know if they eat the fry, or they eat the eggs, or if there's too many predator fish even thought they are notorious defenders of their young. My fish are fed maybe over fed a mixed diet of flakes, freeze dried blood worms and frozen foods. Also the tank has plenty of aeration. Any ideas? Please help.

 

[cichlidcasey]

what's happening to my cichlid eggs!!?? please read aattachment.

 

[jetajockey]

It's possible a few things are happening. They are either being eaten at some point or the parents move them to another spot as they hatch and then they get eaten. Once they hatch and within few days start free swimming, they'll get eaten up quickly by the other tankmates because the parent's can't guard them all in one spot like they could before.

Convicts seem to be good at parenting generally, so I'd lean towards the tankmates.

 

[Dean jones]

I've bred convicts mate and they was always territorial when breeding,keeping larger fish away from there spawning site ? Very strange indeed,hope you get to the bottom of it Fella

 

[cichlidcasey]

I figured the parents can't guard off 2 Texas cichlids. The convicts will have the tank to themselves soon.

 

[jetajockey]

The non parent convicts will also eat the eggs. Have they hurt one another at all yet? They usually get pretty violent at breeding time.

 

[cichlidcasey]

It's always breeding time lol. They flare up at one another but nobody has nipped fins. I've tried other fish like a dragon fish and others that my Texas cichlids have killed and eaten so I'm blaming them.for any death in my tank. The Texans are a pair so I'm afraid they'll kill the convicts when the do breed

 

[dpeco33]

Not to be a bummer..but is that tank large enough for two breeding Texas cichlids with that many breeding pairs if cons

 

[cichlidcasey]

The convicts are being moved to a 46 gallon tank this weekend. I always planned on having the Texans in their own tank