# Last Chance for Convicts



## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Went back to my lfs today and bought 2 more female convicts. I got the hardness of the water down to a good level. I also put more cover in the tank, if the stupid convicts don't breed now they are elong food and I will find a new fish to put in my 29 gal.


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## gourami-master (Apr 1, 2004)

damn it sucks that they wont breed my swordtails wont even give birth and they have gravid spots but i think they might have one has a black gravid spot i know slate will alyaws help


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

what size are they? I dont think that males and females mature at the same size (females usually around 1" while males do at about 1.5-2")

I think you should just give them some time


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## gullzway (Oct 24, 2003)

You might have too many convicts in there. I bought 2 at a pet store and was pretty sure they were male and female. There were only a few other fish in the tank( neons and algea eaters.) They breed (to my surprise) in 2 months. After the babies were around 1 inch they laid eggs 2 more times but both times the eggs dissappeared. I guess they were eaten. I don't know but maybe they won't breed with too many fish in there.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

3 out of 4 of my females are over 1 inch. 3 out of 5 males are over 1.5 inches.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

red-elong said:


> 3 out of 4 of my females are over 1 inch. 3 out of 5 males are over 1.5 inches.


 then just give them some time. they dont just pair up overnite... usually


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

I know that, but all I hear is how easy it is to make convicts breed. If there is no nest by the middle of next week the little punks are gone.


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## air*force*one (Mar 5, 2004)

your sick! lol it takes a while some times


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

hey i was thinking about getting some convicts and i only live 15 miles away.


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## FootClanSkates (Apr 25, 2004)

I've got 4 pair of breeders right now. 3 pair are all about maxed out on size. They are about 6-7 years old. I'm wondering when they are all going to kick the bucket.

Anyway, I have 3 pair in a 40e and three caves built out of rocks, and very deep gravel. Their babies always seem to pair off for me, but it usually takes about 3-4 months after being out of the growout tank.


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## piranhasrule (May 31, 2004)

> 3 out of 4 of my females are over 1 inch. 3 out of 5 males are over 1.5 inches.


i think the problem is that u have 2 many cons, i juz put 1 male and 1 female in my tank and they wouldnt stop breeding, i didnt worry about water quality or anything like that, and i juz fed them pellets everyday except wen i gave them bloodworm once a week


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## Piranha Guy (Oct 22, 2003)

I put my cons in my 125G tank with my reds and the damn things are breeding in there and havent been eaten. Ill give you mine if you pay for shipping they have been breeding for months now. PM if you interested.


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## Fargo (Jun 8, 2004)

piranhasrule said:


> > 3 out of 4 of my females are over 1 inch. 3 out of 5 males are over 1.5 inches.
> 
> 
> i think the problem is that u have 2 many cons, i juz put 1 male and 1 female in my tank and they wouldnt stop breeding, i didnt worry about water quality or anything like that, and i juz fed them pellets everyday except wen i gave them bloodworm once a week


 Exactly, this isn't like other fish where you have to wait out a pair. 1 male and 1 female of similar size, and a temporary divider. Usually within a day or two they'll start flaring up at the divider and then your set.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

What may help is a change in scenery (seriously). Do you have structures that clearly delineate territories. If so, the pairs may bond up faster.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

acestro said:


> What may help is a change in scenery (seriously). Do you have structures that clearly delineate territories. If so, the pairs may bond up faster.

































Yes I do


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Then it's only a matter of time...they will breed.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Wait a second.... are these the hybrids listed in your sig? (besides the females you just bought). If so, hybrids classically have breeding difficulties.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Yes they are all hybrids, except my 2 new females.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

That's your problem, the genetics and behavioral aspects will make a mess out of any breeding attempts. You need some true convicts.


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

I would think that they still know how to breed.

Hybrids or not


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

um, no. Try to tell that to a mule. Or perhaps to many hybrid cichlid breeders (although it's often aggression issues in FH). There may be a mismatch of chromosomes that could even affect the fertility of the eggs or survivorship of the offspring.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

i never even noticed that they were texas x con hybrids









that *is* definatly your problem like ace has stated. many male hybrids are not fertile so even if your females do lay eggs there isnt too much of a chance that they are gonna hatch. and also, dont texas mature at a later age than convicts? if so, you are gonna have to wait a little while


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Good additional point lemmywinks, I didn't think of that!


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

I don't know guys, my retards still have until the middle of this week before they become elong food. They still have a chance.


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## Kain (Mar 13, 2003)

I think Acestro and Lemmy already have the solution to your problem. Get some regular cons dude. You can breed those thing in a toilet bowl...


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## gourami-master (Apr 1, 2004)

i wonder if they would breed in my bathtub its broken thanks for the idea guys


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## unknown (Sep 7, 2004)

My convicts breed like mad (sorry, I am not trying to brag), however, I was wondering, what do you have in your setup, maybe I can help.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

gourami-master said:


> i wonder if they would breed in my bathtub its broken thanks for the idea guys


 u arent serious are you?









i think you should just get some regular convicts. taht way you know for sure that you will have babys and you also will not have to wait very long for them to spawn


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

noooo dont go for elong food go to andy


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Andy1234 said:


> noooo dont go for elong food go to andy










You really want these damn things don't you. I am trying to find a flowerhorn, jaguar or green ter, Does anyone know where I can get some. I know Ash has a jaguar. Also how many of each can I keep in my 29. I think flowerhorns are solitary aren't they?

Thanks
Cody


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## PunkRockSkater39 (May 31, 2004)

red-elong said:


> Andy1234 said:
> 
> 
> > noooo dont go for elong food go to andy
> ...


 flowerhorns out grow a 29 really fast just ask me i have one in my 30 and now i need a 60-75 for it and its only been 4 months scince i got it and it was like 2" now its like 6-8"and yes they are solitary and i couldnt even put a 10" pleco in with it, or any kind of tank mate so far its killed 3-4" Red Belly Pacu i put with it ,2 2" cory cats, and a 9-10" pleco. im pretty sure u can get a pair male and female but u would need like a 100 gal-120 gal


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

red-elong said:


> I am trying to find a flowerhorn, jaguar or green ter, Does anyone know where I can get some. I know Ash has a jaguar. Also how many of each can I keep in my 29. I think flowerhorns are solitary aren't they?
> 
> Thanks
> Cody


 you couldnt even keep one of them in the 29g. all of those fish get to big. for a GT you will need a 55g+ and for the jag or thr FH you would need a 75g+


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

cody earl may sometimes has gts in and i was just in the pet store yesterday and on one of the tanks said flowerhorns so they probably had some lol, my cousin saw one of his friends jags there and norfolk and wants me to get one, naaaa


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

What kind of cichlid could I put in my 29?

I want something that looks cool and that is also somewhat aggressive.








Actually I really really really want a snakehead, but my tank is too small and they are impossible to find.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

red-elong said:


> What kind of cichlid could I put in my 29?
> 
> I want something that looks cool and that is also somewhat aggressive.
> 
> ...


 i think you should just try raisng up some of those texas x convict hybrids. then keep the diominant male or something like that









and if you want a dwarf snakehead they arent really to hard to get (as long as you are willing to pay shipping)


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

cody you could maybe get away with a fire mouth or two, or maybe soem africans, or rams or angels


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

earl may has em all and a while the only ones i didnt see were rams. i know they maybe expensive there but walmart is genarly sh*t even though they are cheap ill sometimes get something there if most of the fish look healthy


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

You really think that I should keep these guys?









If they are all messed up and can't breed why would I even waste my time feeding them, and trying to make them breed. I also want something with a little more color in it. These guys are just a little to plain for me.


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

red-elong said:


> You really think that I should keep these guys?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 give em to me and go to earlmay and get a couple fire mouths or some africans


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Ok Andy there yours.









I ordered 2 green terrors from earlmay, I will keep them in my 29 until 
they get bigger then I will get a bigger tank for my elong and move them 
to my 55 gal.

PM me so we can set up a time that you can come get them.


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

the biggest three of em are in my 135 now and already claiming territory, and the other ones in the 20 long are fighting with each other and begging for food and some already made territorys and i got a bunch of floating plants and stuff for the guppies to run to hide muhahahahahahaha


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Good luck with those damn things









I still think they would have made good elong food









but they are in a better place now than my elong tank.


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## Andy1234 (Apr 23, 2004)

hey if they happen to breed or when my sunnies breed again i could give you the fry if you want


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## psychofish (Jun 5, 2004)

Andy1234 said:


> hey if they happen to breed or when my sunnies breed again i could give you the fry if you want


 If those damn things breed I'm gonna be pissed


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