to all you cichlid experts out there (pics)

[Lab_Rat]

Did you buy 5 cons or did you buy 3 cons and 3 FM? According to your thread on MFK, it is the latter.

 

[jpierce3]

If you just got them and they are that small, you can have them for a little while. You will have to remove some. Tank is already small and you will have your hands full handling a single pair in there.

 

[m8r8j]

i bought 3 cons and 3 fms then returned the 3 fms for 2 more cons because i liked them way more

 

[Lab_Rat]

Smart move returning the FMs. You're more likely to have success in getting a pair with 5 cons instead of 3 cons and 3 FM.

 

[m8r8j]

i also found it a pain in the *** yrying to sex the fms

 

[m8r8j]

none paired yet still waiting

 

[m8r8j]

i think 2 are pairing up the two big ones... i know one is a male because hes got the pointy long dorsal extensions, but the one i think is a female has a rounded dorsal, but no red is visible on her belly?

 

[jpierce3]

patience young grass hopper. any thing to do with fish is patience. I've had some long finned (pointy streamers) females before.

 

[JK47]

1. how long will they be a pair for? life? (yes life)
2. how many times will they spawn? (to infinity and beyond... very proliphic)
3. how do i go about getting the rest of the convicts out without stressing out the pair once they do pair up? (For small cichlids, cons nics, carpintis etc.. I put in one flower pot, block out the back hole and when they pair up, 95% of the time they dominate that pot from the others. Get a net large enough to cover the entrance to the pot and quickly block them in there. I hold them in the tank with a net while I catch the others. Catching fish = stress, you can't avoid it.)
4. can i leave the other 3 in once the 2 pair? (for a while but ultimatly you need to pull the others out, if for nothing esle the size of the tank. They will beat on one another pretty hard post pair, so you will have some ragged looking fish if not)
5. do i have to do anything special for them to lay eggs? (like a flat rock?) (leave the pot I mentioned above in at they will spawn on it. Cons will spawn on anything IME so smooth stones should be fine.)
6. does it stress them out if im in there scooping out their babies? hahah (it will stress any fish but nothing that can harm them. "Scooping out" fry is not fun. I wait until the fry are free swimming then use a hose to syphon them into a bucket.

See above ^ please.