# Convicts again...



## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

This was Mother's Day ...









They were moved a couple of days ago...









and they are wrigglers...









Parents guarding the "nest"...


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Real nice close-up of the fry.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Oohhh very nice photos


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## jamezgt (Feb 17, 2009)

damn that's cool!


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Mom taking care of the kids....(Dad takes his turns too, but he too big and blocks the shot...lol)









All the kids piled up together...









This is as much of a close-up as I can get right now....


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

you get any closer and your going to hurt the fish haha .


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

They are safe...can't get closer I'm already bumping into the glass... 
Too bad aqua glass isn't optically correct. 

Their eyes have developed now...


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

My ram fry are at the same stage as you convicts lol the parents are also taking care of them for a change. I wonder how long they will last this time.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Here's hoping they survive for a while cause I'm too busy to separate any into a fry tank.

Day one free swimming...



























The parents moved them to the top of the log and are kept busy moving the strays back up.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

they are at it again...









developing nicely...









I moved the log into the corner so I could shoot both sides...

checking out the nursery...









and organizing the place...


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## overleaf (Feb 1, 2009)

Riceburner said:


> they are at it again...


Any survive from the may batch?


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## tooslow (Apr 16, 2008)

great pictures. i always enjoy looking at the little guys swimming about. lol


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Unfortunately none of the previous spawns made it. I let nature take it's course...nature in a glass box anyways.

Seems the cons love this log. They lay the eggs in the same spot and have now moved the wrigglers into the same "cave". 

Also means the pics will look the same.  I'll see what I can do to change it up.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

hmmm....not too different.


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## tobalman (Mar 31, 2006)

Very nice series of shots, beautiful fish too. 

Hopefully the fry will make it this time. What kind of food did you feed them ?


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

They never got to the point where I needed to start feeding. The few that made it past the predators were starting to nibble on some of the flake that sank near them.....then they were gone.


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## shark (Jan 28, 2009)

wow! amazing fry


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

might as well keep the pics going....

eyes developed...


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

even practising their mouths...


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## jarvvvv (Jun 8, 2009)

Amazing Shots !


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Thanks all. Those little guys are hard to get thru thick aquarium glass and considering they are only a few mm long.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

today's progress...


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## jarvvvv (Jun 8, 2009)

Hey, if you ever decide to grow out the fry, I'll gladly take some from you


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

you got it.


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## Platypus (Jun 2, 2009)

Very nice pictures Riceburner.

Since you have some expertise on convicts, how many can I fit in a 35 gal?

Can I even fit 1?


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

I'm no expert on them. But according to ppl with more experience you should be able to have a breeding pair just fine in a 35G.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=135089

And some more pics...


















this one looks like he's smiling...


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## Platypus (Jun 2, 2009)

Wow amazing shots yet again Riceburner.

Thanks for keeping us updated.

Edit: I was cruising some forums and your a member of Cichlid Forums.


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## jarvvvv (Jun 8, 2009)

I just picked up a pair of my own a few days ago.
Although they're still young, 
I'll be anticipating the day that my pair produce fry of their own.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

I'm all over...lol

Cons are great. Just be prepared for the aggression and lots of fry.


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## shark (Jan 28, 2009)

Sounds great i bought a convict a few months ago and my arowana....ate him.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

The latest batch have actually made it past a couple of weeks...parents must be getting better at it.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

some new shots...


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

awee their fry are way too cute... Good job!


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Nice shots, better watch those parents lol the better they get the more you have to deal with and then find homes for


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Gonna worry about it when it's time....might be closer than I think though...

Getting their stripes...


















and this guy looks particularly happy...


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## shark (Jan 28, 2009)

nice close ups what do you feed them when they are this young? brine shrimp?


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Nope. They're convicts, nothing special. The half that stayed in the main tank got whatever bits the adult fish didn't eat. The half in the fry net got fry bites and some crushed flake. Eventually I let them all into the main tank as the netted ones weren't growing as fast as the free ones. I have a feeling the majority that have survived were the free roaming ones. Survival of the fittest and all that.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Well after about 5 weeks, the parents are no longer protecting the fry. They have left the nest and are roaming the tank....let's see how many make it further and avoid the JDs.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

here's some more....

camouflage









looking for food









open space









Sick of Convict fry pics yet?  
Well they are at it again. There's some squirmings in the gravel in front of her. The pair chose the cave instead of their usual log.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

not much change, but sometimes a pic looks fun.

Marty looking around...









Scared juvie?


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

settling nicely and growing. happy little guys...except when chased away from latest spawn by Mom.


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