ACK!!! Baby Cichlids!!

[Blackin]

So I'm over at the 55gal just looking and making sure everyone is accounted for. 5 blue convict cichlids, 3 ACFs, 3 cory cats a huge pleco and 3 marbled crayfish...

About the time I notice little dug-out sections in both corners(typically about 3 inches of sand... now can see the glass bottom in the corners), I also notice what looks like a stirred up ant pile behind the log in the middle and the smallest cichlid running frantically chasing everything away.

BABY CICHLIDS EVERYWHERE!!!

There's like 50 of them at least. VERY tiny. I've scooped them all out and have them in a fully-cycled 2.5 gallon "baby tank" that I've been using to raise baby guppies till they're big enough to enter the 40gal guppy tank.

I took out the little albino cory that was in there. Wasn't sure if these guys are small enough for him to eat or not?

I'm frantic right now. Not sure what to do. Had no idea any of them were prego, much less had laid eggs!

 

[Nils]

I would just leave them in the grow out tank and either sell them or start a new tank for them! From what I've heard, once the convicts start breeding then you're in big trouble as they will keep breeding and just keep breeding. Look closely and see if you can find any more baby pits because I'm sue you will find them.

 

[Blackin]

Oh boy...


*EDIT*
Yep, there's another cichlid behind a sandstone rock with a pit dug, protecting it. Looks like about a half teaspoon of greyish mush under it. I'm guessing those are eggs.

 

[Nils]

Looks like you're in for quite a ride! Those are probably eggs that you spotted. You could just leave the egg in there and let nature take its course and see if you get any baby cichlids in there, and leave the fry to see how many survive. I'm going to let the cichlid experts take it from here, but I think it's cool that they bred in your tank!

 

[Blackin]

https://youtu.be/s2hLAs_lTCk

 

[Blackin]

**UPDATE**
From the previous 2 batches of babies, I had 8 survive and are thriving in the little shrimp tank. I'm thinking I should NOT have moved them. And probably should NOT have had them in a community tank to begin with.(The cichlids in general)


Learning from my mistakes....


I've since put together yet ANOTHER tank. A 29gallon tall. And there is nothing in there BUT convict cichlids. In reading, it sounded like these guys prefere little caves and hiding places to use as a nursery, so I jumped on Amazon and picked up the multi-pack of sandstone cave things.


In just a week since the tank's been up, there are 2 sets of babies! Looks like 100+ in each batch. Each in different caves. From what I can make out, there's one father, since he runs back and forth between caves non-stop and does NOT get ran off by the mothers. The other couple cichlids in there spend their day up in the top corners hiding. They move an inch and the mothers come out and chase them relentlessly around the whole tank for a couple minutes.


/Shrug


Anyway... here's s shot of the new "Cichlid breeding grounds and Nursery".

There were quite a few more plants, but they keep digging them up.

 

[Rivers2k]

I would have left them in the 55 a 29 is only large enough for 1 pair. I have 5, actually 2 male HRP (convict cousin) and 3 female convicts, in a 75 gallon and that is just big enough for the pairs to have there territories. They will breed allot. I just leave the fry in the tank and let babies get eaten nobody is going to take all those babies off your hands. I have one batch right now that has lasted 2 weeks so I am not sure what I will do with all of those. If you keep saving batches you will have hundreds in weeks.

 

[Blackin]

Mommy & Daddy and a buuuuuuunch of babies.
FYI, nothing I could do about where they chose to set up camp. So, I've turned the filter down and then gradually played with it until I could see a baby get right up beside it and still be able to get away from it with a bit of effort. Also zip'd some mesh around the intake. Best I can do for them at this point.

 

[Nils]

Awesome! So many fry! Your convicts look great! Are you going to sell them or give them to a LFS for store credit?

 

[PoppaRyno]

Nice work there, bro. Lil baby factory engage.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Blackin]

Suppose I'll start with the LFS and see if they want any. Then will try to figure out how to do shipping and give them away on here if anyone wants some.
The ones that don't get snatched up become tasty treats for the catfish and axolotl's.


I'm just getting a kick out of the circle of life thing.