Convicts not breeding

Hi everyone. So i have 5 convicts that come from a line of convicts i use to breed with a few years back. The problem is that i know that convicts should be one of the easiest to breed with but these guys have done nothing for about a year and a half now. There are 2 big males and 3 females so i know they should be spawning like mad. I had them in a big tank with a masive pleco and moved them to a 3ft tank and still no luck. On top of that, they seem to be scared of anything moving outside the tank.
Anybody have some advice pls.

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Pair them off .. 1 male and 1 female.
Small tank with loads of plans, logs terracotta pots etc.
Lightly filter the water. You should be able to get a spawn without a heater for the next few weeks still.

Later Ferdie

 

Great thanks.
I got a small tank waiting for the spawning pair. I'll just put a pair in tomorrow

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Try and take some of the current tank water .. say 60% ..

Should help reduce any funnies.

Later Ferdie

 

I think i'll do exactly that.
Its just so frustrating.
And now that there is a lockdown, it gets worse.

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Chin-up ... no point in getting frustrated with the situation (either the convicts or where are as a society) key is to act consistently and with a plan.

Later Ferdie

 

Aded them at the start of the lockdown.
They have been in a 400l tank for about a year and a half with no spawn.

Just thought with the lockdown its perfect time to sort this.

I'll add the pair to the new tank and see how things go.

Thaks allot for the advice. Will definitely keep you guys posted.

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cons not breeding is strange, witch makes me think that it was more a case of pairs not getting eggs to hatch. The huge pleco probably got that way from convict eggs, well my thinking.
I agree single pair with lots of vision barrier and hiding spots great idea. give the pair 2 or 3 options as a spawning site ie 2 or 3 caves with a surface to lay on.
what I do if I want a pair of centrals to spawn (sadly have not had cons for years but midas just a giant con):
keep tank at 28 degrees
feed twice a day
50% water change every 3-4 days
make sure water temp drops with water change try avoid going below 22

I will normally have eggs after 4 water change than I avoid water changes till I see wriggles and than do smaller water changes building up as fry get larger and create more waste.

all this said I think if you are just patient and keep them in pairs it will happen, normal con problem is what to feed all the babies to cause no more shops want the babies anymore

good luck

 

I have to say i think the main problem might be the pleco. As it is about 20cm now so might have been dominating the tank for a while.

Ive also not been home for like a year or 2, leaving the fish with my brother and that might have made them not use to people being around the tank that much as my brother only did a proper water change 2 times a month. (Hearing all these things in the lockdown time now)

So i did move them away from the pleco and put some proper heating in the tank with like 5 hiding caves. Waiting to identify a couple before seperating them from the group.

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So patience is key

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Yay! Congrats! You're probably really happy now

 

Congrats. Good luck with the fry

 

I was just a bit worried. Convict are supposed to breed like crazy, so i was affraid that there was something wrong with my tank.

But im glad now

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8 tanks full of fry and bigger fish later .. his top google search history shows a deep need for a convict pie recipe.

 

Tastes better than bunny's

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Hahaha yea i think so to. But better have more than nothing at all

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But i know they will get a bit out of hand later. I will probably take them to my uncles petshop.

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