View Full Version : sexing convicts
demon_surfer
05-13-2003, 4:00 PM
Is there any reliable way to sex juvinile convicts?
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 4:03 PM
I think that you have to wait for a bit...how large are they right now?
demon_surfer
05-13-2003, 4:05 PM
dont have any yet, why i ask is that i was thinking about trying to buy a F/M and get them to breed
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 4:05 PM
I'd say buy a bunch, and then let some couples pair up from that grouping.
demon_surfer
05-13-2003, 4:06 PM
hmmm....is a 20gallon enough for a breeding pair?
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 4:08 PM
If you have caves, it should be all right...I've heard of some people breeding them in a ten, but that sucker would almost have had to be crammed with rocks or target fish or both.
demon_surfer
05-13-2003, 4:13 PM
kewl.....maybe i can do some shellies instead. Can you recommend a type of them?
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 4:15 PM
Eric (Jayhawk) likes his Brevis, but I'm a big fan of the Multifasciatus and Ocellatus.
demon_surfer
05-13-2003, 4:24 PM
i cant find the brevis but the others look a little plain to me...though the AC photos do in general suck..the masked juli is pretty though
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 4:37 PM
Julies are pretty nasty little fish, but they do well in a Tang tank with rocks.
Go with the orange belly. If she's in "heat" it will show when they are an inch.
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 6:46 PM
I saw that online, but I thought that was not useful if the fish were of the redder color variations...can you let me know if I'm in error, Scott?
It has always worked for me but I guess it could sometimes fail. I am just so used to looking ( in LFS) at a tank with twenty convicts in it, if you look long enough you are bound to find one (at least).
ChilDawg
05-13-2003, 6:52 PM
Good point...I can see how it would work for Cons with standard coloration. Sorry for stepping on the toes, Scott...I learned something from it, though!
demon_surfer
05-14-2003, 12:45 PM
so look for a reddish belly for a female on a con...can you describe the red? is it like a faint tint or a bright red??
Jayhawk
05-14-2003, 12:51 PM
I've always felt the females belly was more of a metallic burnt orangish color...but naming colors is such a personal thing.
Eric
ChilDawg
05-14-2003, 12:52 PM
Hope this helps...you know the regular Con coloration, right?
http://www.angelfire.com/my/fishpage/fcongreetguy.jpg
demon_surfer
05-14-2003, 1:01 PM
not sure about the coloring...its silver with bluish blackish stripes?...i mean i would assume the male is the fish in the pic without the red belly?
ChilDawg
05-14-2003, 1:04 PM
Yeah, pretty much...might have a nuchal hump, too, but that would obviously differentiate him, eh?
demon_surfer
05-14-2003, 1:32 PM
ok kewl...i think im gonna go with these....be a good source of food for the other fishies too *grin* i can feed my vicious neons so convict babies :D
ChilDawg
05-14-2003, 1:36 PM
Might shy away from that...Stratton has an anecdote where Cons in an L.A. LFS tank started fighting back against the resident piranha b/c he let them get to breeding age, and they needed to do what convicts do a lot of! :)
demon_surfer
05-14-2003, 1:54 PM
I dont mean im going to put the convicts in the tank with the neons i mean omg the neons would beat the Poop out of the piranhas and make them their prison female dogs!!!
those neons are mean man :eek:
The cons will be safely in there own little tank
ChilDawg
05-14-2003, 2:38 PM
hahaha, I gotta see those neons in action! :)
BTW, your Inbox is full...kinda hard to return PMs!
demon_surfer
05-14-2003, 2:51 PM
wondered why you hadnt sent me any lol, cleaning it out now