My Convicts
- Thread starter Big Vine
- Start date
Black neon vs. Convict male
Preface: (no healthy fish were harmed during the photo session)
I bought a bunch of useless black neon tetras over the weekend. Two were dead in the bag before I made it home (10 min. drive). A couple more had died by bedtime. By next morning, several more were dead.
Needless to say, I went through the hassle of taking a bunch back along with water samples and everything...managed to get some store credit out of the deal. Even the guy at the store said not to bother replacing them and just go with something else instead---his reasoning being that normally they didn't order them (this order must have been by mistake) because they always dropped like flies. Good thing I listened...all but one survived until tonight (well, a couple others too, but they started doing the whole 'floating around aimlessly' thing while still breathing...sure sign of impending death).
I decided that somehow a 'school' of 1 black neon in my 38 gallon tank really wasn't gonna cut it, so I turned it into a feeder fish for my cons. Let's just say it didn't last very long:
BV
Preface: (no healthy fish were harmed during the photo session)
I bought a bunch of useless black neon tetras over the weekend. Two were dead in the bag before I made it home (10 min. drive). A couple more had died by bedtime. By next morning, several more were dead.
Needless to say, I went through the hassle of taking a bunch back along with water samples and everything...managed to get some store credit out of the deal. Even the guy at the store said not to bother replacing them and just go with something else instead---his reasoning being that normally they didn't order them (this order must have been by mistake) because they always dropped like flies. Good thing I listened...all but one survived until tonight (well, a couple others too, but they started doing the whole 'floating around aimlessly' thing while still breathing...sure sign of impending death).
I decided that somehow a 'school' of 1 black neon in my 38 gallon tank really wasn't gonna cut it, so I turned it into a feeder fish for my cons. Let's just say it didn't last very long:
BV
Wow, Fuzz, you mean your pair tolerated old broods---even as they spawned again and raised new one(s)? It'll be interesting to see how mine are as parents. If the fry situation gets out of control, I'll net a bunch out of there and toss em' in with my angelfish and tetras.
And yes, he shredded the neon's tail first, then plucked out each of its eyeballs...leaving dangling pieces of viscera everywhere.
I thought the 'action' shots were pretty cool though, which is why I decided to post them---the rippling effect at the water's surface really livens-up the pics.
BV
And yes, he shredded the neon's tail first, then plucked out each of its eyeballs...leaving dangling pieces of viscera everywhere.
I thought the 'action' shots were pretty cool though, which is why I decided to post them---the rippling effect at the water's surface really livens-up the pics.
BV
Lol you should have made sure the neon was completely healthy before you fed it to the convicts
Neat shots though. I'm not a fan of watching my fish shred another, so I'll only feed them fish that are small enough they can just gulp them in one bite. I just feel so bad for the fish being picked apart slowly.
Neat shots though. I'm not a fan of watching my fish shred another, so I'll only feed them fish that are small enough they can just gulp them in one bite. I just feel so bad for the fish being picked apart slowly.
I always feel a tad remorseful over seeing a fish I tossed in with my crays and/or convicts get torn to shreds, but the feeling quickly goes away as I see how much the predators enjoy doing their thing.
In this particular case I didn't feel too badly for the neon. The darn things.
I had them in a 10 gal. QT tank. Once most of them had dropped like flies, I bought a school of different, smaller fish to add in with them. They did fine for a while, but then the remaining neons kept darting aroud so spastically that they were scaring the crap out of the newcomers.
I said enough's enough and dumped the last one in with the convicts...good riddance.
BV
In this particular case I didn't feel too badly for the neon. The darn things.
I had them in a 10 gal. QT tank. Once most of them had dropped like flies, I bought a school of different, smaller fish to add in with them. They did fine for a while, but then the remaining neons kept darting aroud so spastically that they were scaring the crap out of the newcomers.
I said enough's enough and dumped the last one in with the convicts...good riddance.
BV
Wigglers!
Mom, earlier this afternoon.
This evening, after supper.
I started getting a little concerned when I saw 3/4 of the eggs missing, but then I noticed that mom was putting them on the shelf created in the side of the rock. (sorry...they're nearly impossible to see in this crappy 640 x 480 resolution)
BV
Mom, earlier this afternoon.
This evening, after supper.
I started getting a little concerned when I saw 3/4 of the eggs missing, but then I noticed that mom was putting them on the shelf created in the side of the rock. (sorry...they're nearly impossible to see in this crappy 640 x 480 resolution)
BV
Thanks Virgo!
They're definitely entertaining, that's for sure.
Yup, she started off by moving them to the spot you see in the pics. Not too long afterwards, she made a crapload of trips from there to a shelf on the rock in the far back right-hand corner of the tank and moved all of the babies there.
Probably from me staring intently at them for so long...not to mention the cat, who constantly bats at the male convict who, in turn, chases her alongside the glass. Crazy critters.
How long before the yolk-sacs are consumed?
(i.e. when should I start adding fry food?)
BV
They're definitely entertaining, that's for sure.
Yup, she started off by moving them to the spot you see in the pics. Not too long afterwards, she made a crapload of trips from there to a shelf on the rock in the far back right-hand corner of the tank and moved all of the babies there.
Probably from me staring intently at them for so long...not to mention the cat, who constantly bats at the male convict who, in turn, chases her alongside the glass. Crazy critters.
How long before the yolk-sacs are consumed?
(i.e. when should I start adding fry food?)
BV
Thanks, Katie.
How big were the fry when the parents ate them?
My plan is to get the parents out of there once the fry can survive reasonably on their own. I guess it will be a bit tricky, since removing them too early might end up in more losses. Then again, removing them too late could result in total losses!
Hmm...I should probably take out the parents as soon as the fry are all free-swimming, right?
Oh...and what kind of fish is that in your avatar? (please don't just tell me "cichlid")
BV
How big were the fry when the parents ate them?
My plan is to get the parents out of there once the fry can survive reasonably on their own. I guess it will be a bit tricky, since removing them too early might end up in more losses. Then again, removing them too late could result in total losses!
Hmm...I should probably take out the parents as soon as the fry are all free-swimming, right?
Oh...and what kind of fish is that in your avatar? (please don't just tell me "cichlid")
BV
parents normally start eating the fry a week after free swimming, that way they can make room for new ones. their not stupid, they know a 10g is too small for them, thier first batch, and a new one. i had mine in a 20g tall, though. all my babies hid in a pot while mom and dad guarded the new eggs and eventually fry on the rock.
so wait...they bred and now your wanting to get rid of mom and dad already!!!
and another thing i was going to say about wc's with the eggs...bad idea. specially when they just hacthed. i wait until thier free swimming for wc's. also dont stress mom or dad by sticking your hand in the tank or staring at them too long or theyll eat the fry. my male used to attack me and attack the glass a lot...i think it made him dumb.
so wait...they bred and now your wanting to get rid of mom and dad already!!!
and another thing i was going to say about wc's with the eggs...bad idea. specially when they just hacthed. i wait until thier free swimming for wc's. also dont stress mom or dad by sticking your hand in the tank or staring at them too long or theyll eat the fry. my male used to attack me and attack the glass a lot...i think it made him dumb.