Table of Contents
Is it easy to breed convict cichlids?
Convicts are one of the easiest cichlids to breed. I had a pair once they mated pretty quickly. The male got a bump on his head and the female after some weeks laid eggs in a flower pot. There were so many of them!
How often do convict cichlids breed?
In contrast, females in aquaria are known to breed many times per year with short intervals of 12 or 13 days between broods, as long as suitable rocks or similar surfaces are available for them to lay their eggs on.
How do you know when a Convict Cichlid is breeding?
Pre-Spawning Cues One of the most obvious signs that your cichlids are about to breed is when their colors intensify. This may be more noticeable in the female since female convict cichlids typically take the lead in breeding, preparing a spawning site in the tank and enticing the male to join her there.
How many babies can a Convict Cichlid have?
Once the male has fertilized the eggs, the female will guard the eggs and the male will guard the perimeter. After 4 days you can expect the eggs to hatch and you will get around 30 little Convicts!
Why won’t my convicts breed?
If Your Convicts Don’t Spawn… Increase the water temperature: In the wild, convicts naturally spawn in summer months when the water temperature is warm. If your fish do not spawn, try increasing the water temperature by one or two degrees (make sure not to go over 82).
Do convict cichlids mate for life?
Convict cichlids mate for life and cooperate to raise young, with females tending the eggs while males patrol for danger, said Dechaume-Moncharmont.
What to do when convict cichlids have babies?
They can be fed finely ground flake food, but best is newly hatched brine shrimp. Once the babies are swimming and eating on their own, remove the parents and let the babies grow. The parents can be placed into another aquarium, where they will commence spawning again.
How do you get convicts to breed?
Because convict cichlids can be a naturally aggressive fish, you will want to provide plenty of hiding places in your tank. Add some flat stones and a cave (or flowerpot) or two to the tank. The convicts will lay their eggs on the flat stones, and the caves will provide shelter to the fry once they are born.
Will convict cichlids eat their babies?
Don’t be alarmed by this! (As a note, your Convict Cichlid pair may eat their babies the first few spawns. They are new parents and are still trying to figure everything out, this is normal.)
Do convict cichlids eat their own babies?
(As a note, your Convict Cichlid pair may eat their babies the first few spawns. They are new parents and are still trying to figure everything out, this is normal.)
Are convict fish good parents?
Convict cichlids that remained with the same partner were also more consistent as a parental unit, maintaining their sex-specific roles of males defending aggressively against an intruder and females spending more time directly caring for young.
Where do albino convict cichlids live?
Albino Convict Cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) are found throughout Central America where they inhabit a wide array of areas. Convicts are commonly found in streams and rivers, but it is also known to live in ponds and lakes with heavy plant cover.
How to breed convict cichlids?
Select the breeding aquarium. Buy a semi-large fish tank, at least 20 gallons (75.7 L). A 30-gallon tank is ideal for one pair of breeding convicts. If you have the space, a 40-gallon breeder tank is ideal, especially if you’re planning to breed more than one pair of convict cichlids.
How big do albino cichlids get?
There is an Albino variety as well. This cichlid can get to be about 4 inches (10 cm) and should do fine in a 20 gallon (78 liters) or larger aquarium. This is a fascinating species that is known as being a profilic breeder. If you have a male and female, chances are you’re going to get some baby convicts soon.
Do convict cichlids need a stable pH level?
Although convict cichlids are hardy fish, and can survive a wide range of pH conditions, keeping a stable pH in this range is ideal for reproduction purposes. Test your aquarium’s pH level with easy to use paper test strips which can be bought at any pet store.