why do convicts eat their babies?

-Nemo-

-Nemo-

Master Diver
Jul 31, 2007
274
0
0
Great Barrier Reef
3rd spawn. just looked in there, there is about 20 left out of maybe 200. they take care of them very well until maybe 1 week after free swimming, then in 2 days they'll all be gone. i moved 30 or so to my fry tank. spawn #1 was successful though, they were growing and not dropping in numbers at all. i still have those fry and are growing (around 30). spawn 2 and 3 though have got eaten. just a few days ago i saw the male even slurp some up and spit them out to keep them on the pile. there is never any fighting, wth? i'm ready to put an oscar in with these two and forget about these two breeding.

can anyone relate?
 
Its natures way of keeping the numbers in check. If they didn't get eaten, think about how many fish there would be!!! :eek: the oceans/ rivers/ lakes etc would be over run with fish!! As for the first batch not getting eaten, not sure why they didn't...maybe because it was the first spawn and now they're realizing after the 2nd spawn that these little swimming things taste good.
 
i feel like putting a pirahna in there for punishment! i was SOOOO careful cleaning and such not to mess with the babies...NOOO more. i'm gonna do my cleaning as if they are not even there. i'm definitely adding another fish. i think an oscar.
 
just walking past the tank can make the parents feel threatened enough to eat the fry.
When you removed the babies from the first batch, the parents didnt know that you had put them in another tank...they would have just thought you had eaten them...therefore when they see you aproach they may be thinking your gonna eat there next set of fry aswell...so they eat them themselves to regain all the nutrients that they plowed into the fry rather than have them 'eaten' buy a stranger.
Just a thought!
 
richos said:
just walking past the tank can make the parents feel threatened enough to eat the fry.
When you removed the babies from the first batch, the parents didnt know that you had put them in another tank...they would have just thought you had eaten them...therefore when they see you aproach they may be thinking your gonna eat there next set of fry aswell...so they eat them themselves to regain all the nutrients that they plowed into the fry rather than have them 'eaten' buy a stranger.
Just a thought!
Click to expand...
interesting. ty :)
 
angels and discus certainly do that - if the fry are going to be killed anyway, might as well benefit the parents instead of a predator. putting some sort of background on three sides of the tank may help them to feel more secure, as will moving the tank to a place where you are less likely to walk by it, if possible.
 
I agree, my cons will eat their fry, only when the tank is threatened, if my dog doesn't leave them alone, the male will eat them, if i keep the dog away from the tanks, they spawn like crazy, they are used to me removing fry though, after so many spawning, i think they like me:)

try relocating the tank, or try keeping it covered, i usually remove mine after a week free swimming anyway. It makes it much easier to keep up with the parents tank, and i can keep a better eye on the fry..so, what are ya gonna do with that many fry anyway?..you would need a new fry tank!
 
I surely wish my convicts would have ate their fry! Never once did a baby end up a snack. Be thankful! It only takes a matter of weeks to end up with too many convict and getting rid of them is darn near impossible. In my experience anyways. I got so irritated with over population that I got rid of the adults and deemed them no longer welcome in my house. LoL
 
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