I have a pair of convicts in a well established tank. They have bred in there several times. Each time except the first, the eggs did hatch, no fungus, and turned into wigglers. However once they become free swimming they usually last about a week or two before they all dissapear. I've never seen the parents eat them at all. My assumption is that they're all dead, but I dont' see any bodies. There is a sand substrate so if there are any bodies I'd be able to see them at that size. I feed them crushed flakes. I have a sponge filter in there so I know it's not a 'sucked up the filter' problem. The temp stays at between 75-80 depending on how hot it is out side but doesn't fluctuate beyond that too often. There is only one pot in there as their breeding grounds so they can't just 'dissapear'. Any suggestions on how I could get them past this stage??? I also don't have any other fish in there.
Convit Babies... can't get them much past wigglers
- Thread starter Lazersniper
- Start date
what size tank? what else is in there? Put another cave(flower pot) in the tank. I have two pairs of convicts. They both have fry right now and the both gave birth in community tanks....now the fry and parents are in 10 gallons till they out grow them. My first pair took 4 or 5 trys to get it right they were new parents and they got it right and now I have fry. I would do 50% water changes with cool water and then I'd always get eggs. Just give them time and they will get it right.
N8
N8
Becareful about removing the fry. If you remove all of the fry one of the parents may kill the other. It does sound as if someone is eating the fry and that is not uncommon with new parents or if they feel threatened by a lot of activity around the tank.
I am interested in knowing what size aquarium and the level of activity around it.
I am interested in knowing what size aquarium and the level of activity around it.
The tank is between 15-20 gallons. It's a really weird shaped plastic or acrilic tank that my mom recieved from one of her work friends. It's in my bedroom, so the only activity that goes on in there is when I walk in or out or when I'm going to bed. I'm not here during much of the lighted ours of the day. At night I used to put a towel over the tank so that if while I was going in and out or trying to sleep they wouldn't see me. This produced the same results as just leaving it open at night. I've tried using fake plants in there for the fish to hide and I've tried just leaving the tank bare. This time I've tried adding some dither fish to see if they'll work together as a team to watch over the young'ns. I'm running out of ideas. I don't want to remove the fry or the parents in case they decide to kill each other.
They are a pretty young pair however. If they were interested in eating their babies then I wonder... why wait so long? Why not take them out when they're wigglers, or when they've first become free swimming? 2 weeks after free swimming seems a little weird to me if they were going to eat their young.
What I also find odd is that the female is definately more aggressive, then the male. Also intersting is the fact that they seem to instinctivly know who's turn it is to watch the babies. What I mean is that from what I've read, they're suppose to work together. Mine on the other hand fight before and after the eggs appear. How they actually got the eggs fertalized I have no clue. The female watches over them and chases the male, sometimes nearly killing him. But once the fry become free swimming the male takes over watch for them.
They are a pretty young pair however. If they were interested in eating their babies then I wonder... why wait so long? Why not take them out when they're wigglers, or when they've first become free swimming? 2 weeks after free swimming seems a little weird to me if they were going to eat their young.
What I also find odd is that the female is definately more aggressive, then the male. Also intersting is the fact that they seem to instinctivly know who's turn it is to watch the babies. What I mean is that from what I've read, they're suppose to work together. Mine on the other hand fight before and after the eggs appear. How they actually got the eggs fertalized I have no clue. The female watches over them and chases the male, sometimes nearly killing him. But once the fry become free swimming the male takes over watch for them.
Seaman
Shrimp gumbo, shrimp salad etc...
I think the dither fish idea is good, my kribensis ate their fry on the first batch, then i added 6 H. Raspboras and this is the seccond batch of fry and they havent eaten them yet!!
Another thought is convicts can get bored of their fry, you say they have spawned several times?
As parents if they are getting ready to spawn again the can either ignore or eat there existing fry.
Perhaps try removing some of the fry to a seperate tank. leave some so they dont turn nasty on each other but enought for you to try and raise some.
Monitor there behavior see if they start to ignore a batch.
As parents if they are getting ready to spawn again the can either ignore or eat there existing fry.
Perhaps try removing some of the fry to a seperate tank. leave some so they dont turn nasty on each other but enought for you to try and raise some.
Monitor there behavior see if they start to ignore a batch.
hhhmmm... That does sound plausable Cat. I have noticed that soon after they eat their fry they have another batch of eggs almost a day or two later. I tried the dither fish thing with 4-5 White Clouds and now there is only 1 left so I now have an extra 5.5 gallon, so I'll try to pull some out.
If you wait till they get bored then remove the fry their shouldnt be any bloodshed! and you can rear your fry yourself.