Breeding Convict Cichlids
by Shane Linder

Hello all,

I had been looking for something new to spawn while waiting for some of my other fishes to reach sexual maturity when I found a pair of convicts, "C" nigrofasciatum. There were two at the petstore that had already paired off and were defending a cave against all comers. I picked them up and took them home. Here are the notes from the spawning. I can say without a doubt that this is a very easy fish to spawn. This was the first time that I had ever kept convicts.

22 October 1996
Brought home pair. Male 3.5" female 3'. Placed in a 38 gallon tank with two 4" Mystus armatus (Pearl Catfish).

23 October 1996
Pair is cleaning out a 4" flower pot.

26 October 1996
Pair spawned in the flower pot. 400+ eggs. The eggs were on the lower, bottom, portion of the pot. This is different from many African cichlids that always lay the majority of eggs on the roof of the pot.

28 Oct. 1996 3:00 pm
Dark spots visible in eggs.

29 Oct. 1996

Out of 400+ eggs only two eggs fungused. I did not treat with anything. Female has moved about 20 pieces of gravel into the pot. I wonder if this is to hide the fry or make it harder for them to "hop" out of the pot. As the day goes by the fry keep hoping out of the pot. The female picks them up and "spits" them back into the pot. 38 gal. temp 78F, pH 7.4, 6 DH.

30 Oct. 1996
Tails, bellies, and eyes are clearly discernable in fry. Female has cleared away all gravel in front of the pot. This seems to make it easier for her to recover any fry that "hop" out of the pot. Pair has started to clean out a second cave. They must plan on moving the fry soon.

31 Oct. 1996
Sold parents back to the petstore. Moved wigglers to a ten gallon tank. Temp 76F, pH 7.4, 6 DH.

5 November 1996 6 Nov. 1996
Fry doing well and eating a lot. From the time they were moved to the ten gallon their water has been changed 10% twice per day. The ten gallon has no filtration.

I hope that this info can help someone or was at least interesting reading.