My two convicts are both females and one of them just layed eggs! I have no male cons in my tank for over 5 months and I want to know if cons can change sexes. Both females are guarding the plant pot where the eggs are and will not let any fish near the area.
Can convicts changs sexes???
- Thread starter MIKE D
- Start date
Actually yes Cons can change sexes up til 4" or one year in age. However this does not mean that one of your cons has changed sexes. Here's a link that explains how cichlids can change their sex.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99723
Here's a qoute from it also
"The summary results for all cichlids studied, indicate that in a group of fry, the largest fish in a given tank "decides" to become male, while the smallest "decide" to become females. All experiments show that sex determination in cichlids occurred somewhere between six months and one year and between 50 and 100 mm SL (standard length). The cichlids become one sex or the other not simply based on their absolute size, but rather based on their size with respect to the fish around them."
50mm is 2 inches and 100mm is 4 inches, so yes a Convict can change its sex.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99723
Here's a qoute from it also
"The summary results for all cichlids studied, indicate that in a group of fry, the largest fish in a given tank "decides" to become male, while the smallest "decide" to become females. All experiments show that sex determination in cichlids occurred somewhere between six months and one year and between 50 and 100 mm SL (standard length). The cichlids become one sex or the other not simply based on their absolute size, but rather based on their size with respect to the fish around them."
50mm is 2 inches and 100mm is 4 inches, so yes a Convict can change its sex.
You can read into that and make it say whatever you want. Size is determined by sex or sex is determined by size. Until you study thousands upon thousands of the same fish, you can't make a sound determination. There's no proof in that showing that a female that has produced viable offspring will become a male when the male is removed and a smaller fish in introduced. Nor does it show that the same smaller fish which could be a proven male will turn into a female.
Convict cichlids DO NOT do the same thing that marine clownfish do in regard to changing sex.
Convict cichlids DO NOT do the same thing that marine clownfish do in regard to changing sex.
Nowhere in the study does it state "a proven bred female cichlid can change it's sex" it pretty much states that if you have a large number of fish in a tank, and add some more that are juvenile, that the juveniles can change their sex in respect to fish in the tank.
In plain terms, if you have a tank with a couple 5-7" males only, and throw in a newly bought 2" male with them, chances are the new juvenile male will change to female.
In plain terms, if you have a tank with a couple 5-7" males only, and throw in a newly bought 2" male with them, chances are the new juvenile male will change to female.
I've heard of some species of marine fish changing sexes but never cichlids. I'm going to have to do some research on this one.
Yes, I have an older book that does talk about convicts changing sex. I will look for it later and let you know. My first 55 was full of convicts, and I noticed what I thought were males, began to change to females. I never did experience it when they were older.
also remember that females dont need males to lay eggs, just to fertilize them. ive seen many cichlids lay infertal eggs. i once watched a female ahli/freyeri spawn all by herself then hold the eggs for thee days.
if you could post pics im sure some member will happily point out the sex of your fish
if you could post pics im sure some member will happily point out the sex of your fish
I know that both of my cons are female because they have both have had babies before. I would love to post pics but all I have is my cellphone and it cant take great pics. Now my Green terror has laid eggs. they are all white and are now covered in some white film. She has as of today made a pit behind the tree stump where she laid her eggs. I'm hoping they hatch because I would love to see what kind of fish they are.