Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

[Hanson77]

So I was walking through the fish section of Petsmart a week ago and on a whim bought two small Convicts and two small Firemouths just to get some movement in my empty 58 gallon.  The Convicts are no more than 2.5" at the most and the Firemouths are a little larger.  I wasn't hunting a male and female of either but of course luck would have it....guess which ones have paired up already.  The two Convicts have been giving the Firemouths a run for their money since introducing them both into the tank.  I would have never thought that either could breed at this size, I was mainly just getting them to put something cheap and active in the tank.  Well sure enough the Convicts have bred and have a nest full of tiny eggs in the very bottom back corner of the tank and are protecting it like there's no tomorrow.

[finfan]

Re: Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

congrats, i have a pair of convicts that i raised from when they were 2 days old (got from a petco store where they were born), they are about 3.5" inches but did not breed yet because they are with mbunas and they can't stay in one spot for more than a minute - not a match - so put convicts with mbunas - birth control for convicts :)

[Hanson77]

Re: Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

I just can't believe that they would breed this early.  I guess the water quality issues that I thought I was having in the tank are long gone...LOL!!!

[finfan]

Re: Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

from what i've heard, if any fish can ignore water quality, its convicts, they are awesome survivors,

many don't like them because they are easy to keep, i think they are very fun to watch and i don't mind that they are easy to keep, i think they are underrated because despite being easy to keep, they have plenty of personality and awesome parental care which is fun to watch

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

I love convicts, not only are they easy to breed, they will cross with just about any other SA near their size.
"T" sicklids, Honduran red tips, jelly beans........... and the list goes on  

[aquashelle]

Re: Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

Same thing happened to me. I had a pair of convicts in with my mbuna, and the male got pretty beatup, so I moved them both to a hospital tank, and sure enough, withing 2 weeks, I had babies like crazy! I ended up giving my girl to my friend, and kept the male named Clyde (they were Bonny and Clyde) and out of all the babies, I've had one survive after the mom starting gettng a little bit hungry... But I still have the baby, and the male is now with my mbuna with no problems, I aodre the little guy ^^

[PhishPhreek]

Re: Bought a pair of Convicts on a whim...

If anyone is looking for striped convicts, I sold 2 pair at the HAS auction
and I have about 20 more young adults that need a new home.  
please pm me before they all start breeding.