Convicts not "in the mood".

Hello All,

I have a 46G FW tank that's slowly evolved from a gentle place into a
home for the agressive (or at least semi-agressive). I have a 5" Blue
Pr*wn, 2 ea. B*la Sharks, a 5" Plec*, a Sk*nk (who's managed to keep
away from the Pr*wn) and finally, a male C*nvict about 2" long and a
female about 3" long.

I chose the convicts because the breed like rabbits, all of them except
mine. At what age does this start, or is it size or environment dependant?

She was definately the dominant of the two initially. Recently he's
displayed more agression towards her. Other than this, they seem to get
along reasonably well with their tankmates.

Gorey Details

NO3 30ppm
NO2 0ppm
GH 250ppm
KH 180ppm
PH 7.6
NH3/NH4 Oppm
Temp 82F-84F

Planted tank with laterite substrate, 60W light x 12hrs/day, purchased
large lava rock with hole to serve as cave, 3 other small caves
available, lava rock is against left rear glass in corner below TopFin
60 falls; home built CO2. 25% water change every 2 weeks.

Plants are a mix of water onion, wisteria, amazon swords, water fern,
golden pothos and telanthera. The fish seem to eat camboa faster than I
can replace it or it can grow.

Diet, aside from the plant grazing is a mix of Wardley Cichlid Floating
Pellets, Bio Blend Tropical (sinking pellets), Top Fin Flake, Wardleys
Shrimp Pellets and Top Fin Algae Wafers. Total is approx 2-3tsp 1x daily.

If anyone sees an issue I need to address, please speak up. What are
the signs that they're ready? Any precautions I need to take?

Shawn

Your convicts should be ready to spawn in a few months, once the male has
grown some more. Usually they start to breed when the males are 2.5 to 3
inches long. Good water quality and live foods help, but are not really
required.

The old joke is that to breed convicts all you need is some fish food and a
box of damp newspaper.

It's almost that easy once they are large enough. If you have an adult male
/ female pair, they will find a way to spawn, somehow. Be patient and it
will happen.

Limnophile

Hi
A bit crowded? Are you surethey aren't breeding and eating the
eggs?

Anyway...if you have a pair, they will breed.

Assuming you have a pair!!

Live food/meaty food eg bloodworm for a week then a 25% water
change leave 2 days and then change again
If they are a pair and they are old enough they will breed

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