I am not new to fish keeping but I am new to cichlids. I have researched several kinds and I was going to choose the B. Ram. Well while at the store to purchase them I noticed the convicts in a bottom tank. They had a pink convict and a ton of black. I decided I liked them better. I bought two. The pink and a black. I asked for a pair but I am not quite sure how to sex them. He told me the pink is a male. I looked at the two for two hours and still could not tell the difference. So I have two questions. First how do you sex them and second I wanted two pair in my 30 gal. Will they be alright in there. Thanks for any advice. Amy
New at convict keeping
- Thread starter sharkyAmy
- Start date
1 pair is enought....
In a 30, you don't want more than one pair, especially if you're hoping to breed them. I honestly don't know if a pick & black will breed together.
As far as sexing convicts, you look at two things:
1. Forehead: males will gradually develop a pronounced lump on their forehead.
2. The male will have longer dorsal & anal fins, coming to a point at the ends of them.
3. Females, when close to being able to breed, will get a nice orange belly, and then blue around their gills.
Check out the following:
http://www.geocities.com/dick_pahimulin/articles/a01.htm
I skimed it, and it's pretty complete and accurate to what I've experienced so far.
In a 30, you don't want more than one pair, especially if you're hoping to breed them. I honestly don't know if a pick & black will breed together.
As far as sexing convicts, you look at two things:
1. Forehead: males will gradually develop a pronounced lump on their forehead.
2. The male will have longer dorsal & anal fins, coming to a point at the ends of them.
3. Females, when close to being able to breed, will get a nice orange belly, and then blue around their gills.
Check out the following:
http://www.geocities.com/dick_pahimulin/articles/a01.htm
I skimed it, and it's pretty complete and accurate to what I've experienced so far.
Thanks. I have been spending hours watching the two and it seems that I may have a pair. The male is always chasing the female away. she never seems to stay in one place very long. she is also shy. The only time i can observe her is when she is eating. I have had them for four days now and they have changed. The male would hide every time I came near the tank. Now he sits at the top of the tank and waits for his food. I really have fallen for these two. I spend most of my time watching them. Thanks again.
I was feeding my convicts tonight and noticed niether are hungry and the one i suspect to be female has a bloated belly. I watched them for a while and noticed that the male is cleaning out one of the flower pots that I put in the tank. I have only had them five days and already awaitiing the first spawn.
convicts....females are the ones with yellow dots on there sides.
male will not have the dots. the dots are very clear... they are very bright.. you can see them at about 4weeks of age...all convict are great to have pink fry.. i started with gray with black lines on them and got pink ones as fry.. you can breed pink and gray with black lines as a pair if you choose to. you will just get both colors. you can have four in a 30g as long as you have 2 males and 2 females. they will pick their mate. thats what mine did..they have about 30 to 60 eggs for each time they lay eggs, if you what to breed them make sure you have caves or cover for them to lay their eggs they will take turns watching the eggs.. at about 3 weeks of age you should take the fry out... sell them or feed them to some thing by the time the fry are about 12 weeks. will breed at about that age.. i sell mine to a pet shop for 2.00 each.. 2 times a month..
hope this helps.. have fun
O by the way they love to eat feeder guppy fry.
male will not have the dots. the dots are very clear... they are very bright.. you can see them at about 4weeks of age...all convict are great to have pink fry.. i started with gray with black lines on them and got pink ones as fry.. you can breed pink and gray with black lines as a pair if you choose to. you will just get both colors. you can have four in a 30g as long as you have 2 males and 2 females. they will pick their mate. thats what mine did..they have about 30 to 60 eggs for each time they lay eggs, if you what to breed them make sure you have caves or cover for them to lay their eggs they will take turns watching the eggs.. at about 3 weeks of age you should take the fry out... sell them or feed them to some thing by the time the fry are about 12 weeks. will breed at about that age.. i sell mine to a pet shop for 2.00 each.. 2 times a month..
hope this helps.. have fun
O by the way they love to eat feeder guppy fry.