Convict acting freaky!!!

[oscarchick]

I have a 55 gallon tank with an oscar, convict, 2 silver dollars and plecos. Recently I have been noticing a big hole forming in the bottom of the tank. Today, the hole had been dug all the way down to the glass bottom. My convict has been hovering over the hole all day. It has a very rounded belly. I had no idea if it were a male or female, but I am gathering that it is a female.
She is the only convict in the tank, there is no other convicts at all. After researching on the net, I have gathered that she is going to lay eggs. Would she lay eggs even if there is no male in the tank with her? I didn't think that she would lay eggs if there wasn't a male there for fertilization....Will someone please clarify this for me?

 

[ChilDawg]

She will lay eggs alone, if she is indeed gravid.

 

[Sumpin'fishy]

I have a Jellybean Cichlid (mix of Blood Parrot and Convict) which turned out to be female and lays eggs every three weeks almost like clockwork! She is completely alone in a 10 gallon aquarium and has laid many, many times. She finally ends up eating them toward the end of the week as they rot. VERY feisty during this time. Watch out for your other fish. Mine is only about 2" without tail, but won't back down to anything! Will even attack my hands when I try to re-arrange the plants.