2 new BS convicts for my A. Cichlid community 244 tank
- Thread starter CWO4GUNNER
- Start date
Well you were right. I had to evacuate the small one (1") tonight. Problem is they aren't like the A. Cichlids in that when being chased with a net they still stay pretty much in the open.
These Convicts stay put in the rocks and ornaments which makes fishing them out of a 244 tank that is 31" tall a real challenge. Only got the small one cause he was pretty beat up. The larger 1.5" is just a little tattered on the back fin but still looks good, ate and refuses to come out.
Some fish know when they want out and will practically meet you with the net but not these guys. Well lesson learned when it comes to A. Cichlids better stick to species and sizing.
Funny the Tetra Minors get along so well they were even picking on the small Convict twice their size. It like the rest of the A. Cichlids know they earned the right to stay and actually give them less grief then one another. Of course those Tetra Minors are like small jet fighters able to out maneuver any aggression withing its own space.
Tomorrow Ill try again at feeding time and have him join the smaller Convict it the partitioned 80 tank, but I doubt the small one will make it.
These Convicts stay put in the rocks and ornaments which makes fishing them out of a 244 tank that is 31" tall a real challenge. Only got the small one cause he was pretty beat up. The larger 1.5" is just a little tattered on the back fin but still looks good, ate and refuses to come out.
Some fish know when they want out and will practically meet you with the net but not these guys. Well lesson learned when it comes to A. Cichlids better stick to species and sizing.
Funny the Tetra Minors get along so well they were even picking on the small Convict twice their size. It like the rest of the A. Cichlids know they earned the right to stay and actually give them less grief then one another. Of course those Tetra Minors are like small jet fighters able to out maneuver any aggression withing its own space.
Tomorrow Ill try again at feeding time and have him join the smaller Convict it the partitioned 80 tank, but I doubt the small one will make it.
African Mbuna should never be mixed with anything than other Mbuna of the same temperament and also not the same color.
I keep my cons in with 2 Oscars, 3 Borleyi, 1 Silver Dollar, 1Bala. Even though they have fry to tend to, they are aggressive only when near the fry. They have established a territory and pretty much do not venture from there. Ther teritory is very small (About 18" radius) and the rest they leave to the other residents.
(The Borleyi are Africans but are peaceful)
I keep my cons in with 2 Oscars, 3 Borleyi, 1 Silver Dollar, 1Bala. Even though they have fry to tend to, they are aggressive only when near the fry. They have established a territory and pretty much do not venture from there. Ther teritory is very small (About 18" radius) and the rest they leave to the other residents.
(The Borleyi are Africans but are peaceful)
I actually thought convicts were of the same aggressive species. I remember when I was a kid I bough a convict ( 4") half the size of my Oscar and over night he almost killed my Oscar. So I was worried about having them together.
Funny becasue my one aggressive electric blue is getting along very well with my 2 Oscars with no signs of aggression on either side.
Tried at feeding time to get the last Convict out of the what you call the Mabuda tank with food in a net. All the other fish would bite but the convect was too leery and a bit more tattered today Im afraid. Its as if they don't like the way he smells, even the Tetra Minors are nipping at him. But he did eat allot of flake. I will try again tonight but this tank is too large and has too many hiding places to catch him until he is weak I guess.
It was an expensive lesson for me though, I wont forget it.
Funny becasue my one aggressive electric blue is getting along very well with my 2 Oscars with no signs of aggression on either side.
Tried at feeding time to get the last Convict out of the what you call the Mabuda tank with food in a net. All the other fish would bite but the convect was too leery and a bit more tattered today Im afraid. Its as if they don't like the way he smells, even the Tetra Minors are nipping at him. But he did eat allot of flake. I will try again tonight but this tank is too large and has too many hiding places to catch him until he is weak I guess.
It was an expensive lesson for me though, I wont forget it.
As far as netting goes, I've gotten some good tips and tried some different things...here's what I would suggest:
Get the biggest net you can
Use a big net and a little net together to corral the con
Move the nets slowly -- in some cases a fish won't perceive a large, slow moving net as a threat and will just sit there
Slowly herd the con to the top of the tank and/or trap it against the side
I've had some cases where none of that worked and I had to remove all the decor from a 75g -- very annoying but I did it and got my guy.
Good luck!
Get the biggest net you can
Use a big net and a little net together to corral the con
Move the nets slowly -- in some cases a fish won't perceive a large, slow moving net as a threat and will just sit there
Slowly herd the con to the top of the tank and/or trap it against the side
I've had some cases where none of that worked and I had to remove all the decor from a 75g -- very annoying but I did it and got my guy.
Good luck!
I agree with the two net method and use it quite often. As far as not liking it's choice of lipstick or shoes, I have seen the same thing happen with different spawns I have had. One or more gets singled out and it becomes the tank bait where everyone in the tank takes a turn at it. I have had it happen with males and females equally. I have had a pair raise a spawn and then the male killed the female after 3 weeks.
If you truly want some convicts let me know as I have more than enough to go around. I have only the black convicts and do not breed the pinks anymore.
As far aggression level goes, they are aggressive but that doesn't mean bullet-proof. Sometimes the bully gets bullied.
If you truly want some convicts let me know as I have more than enough to go around. I have only the black convicts and do not breed the pinks anymore.
As far aggression level goes, they are aggressive but that doesn't mean bullet-proof. Sometimes the bully gets bullied.
I tried twice this afternoon again with the biggest net I have 12X6" and another 6x4" net. He simple dives down under the lava rocks and waits me out while all the other A. Ciclids dance in and out of the net looking like "Hay! Where's the brine!" My tank is too big to tear up, looks like Ill have to wait him out, hopefully it wont cost him his life.
In the mean time I have other concerns like trying to grow my smallest ciclids with a turkey baster to at least 1.5 inch so I can reintroduce my gentle and colorful 4.5 inch male Electric Blue who is in QT, the drab female who lives with my two 5" Oscars will never go back as she has a hatred for the male and any other A. cichlid that is small enough to fit in her jaws. Amazing her placid behavior outside her own species.
In the mean time I have other concerns like trying to grow my smallest ciclids with a turkey baster to at least 1.5 inch so I can reintroduce my gentle and colorful 4.5 inch male Electric Blue who is in QT, the drab female who lives with my two 5" Oscars will never go back as she has a hatred for the male and any other A. cichlid that is small enough to fit in her jaws. Amazing her placid behavior outside her own species.
Good news today the Convict is doing better, eating well and posturing against other A. Cichlids nitching out a small spot in the tank. And it appears other fish have backed off now and ignoring the convict.
I think Im going to invest in one of those fish traps that guarantees you can catch the fish you want out of a community of fish.
I think Im going to invest in one of those fish traps that guarantees you can catch the fish you want out of a community of fish.
