Hi
will the convict cichlid parents eat their eggs after they were sprawn. I saw the eggs yesterday morning. But when I got home after work, all the eggs disappeared. Can you please help?
Chan
2007-04-12 06:33:36 · 7 answers · asked by M C 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
I've never known parents to eat the eggs through five generations of raising my own - the parents provide parental care for their young. Although if you have a young pair, I wouldn't say it was totally impossible, just unlikely.
Are the convicts the only fish in your tank? The parents will try to guard the eggs against other fish, but if there are many, or a few other aggressive fish, these might have eaten the eggs.
It's also possible that they've hatched - watch the parents - if there are fry in the tank, you'll most likely see the parents hovering near a little "swarm".
2007-04-12 06:51:39 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Inexperienced (first or second time ) breeders can eat the eggs. But convicts are VERY good parents. And normally won't let any other fish eat them without a very large, messy fight!
If this was your first batch of eggs, give it a little bit of time, they'll do it again. I can't buy that all the eggs would be eaten by other fish though. Convicts have been known to attack the aquarium glass when YOU approach the tank to feed them when they have eggs.
Breeding - Prolific breeder. They become good parents with experience.
So again..if it's your first few batches, don't worry. And you don't have to remove the fry either. These guys love their kids :)
2007-04-12 15:00:06 · answer #2 · answered by Barb R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As Margaret said Convicts are very good parents and should not eat their eggs. This could happen if the eggs were not inseminated (or if the eggs were simply not OK for different reasons) or if the fry hatched they probably are hidden in one of the parents mouth (this happens if one of the parents feels that you are a threat to the fry).
2007-04-12 06:54:05 · answer #3 · answered by DEK 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Poster above me already mentioned that sometimes young cichlids eat their eggs and/or fry, but it usually stops after a couple spawns. Just keep an eye on them - the one eating the eggs may be attacked by the other one.
2007-04-12 08:24:23 · answer #4 · answered by Wendy M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Convict are very good parents and should not eat their eggs,are you sure the fry didn't hatch.
2007-04-12 06:41:45 · answer #5 · answered by Jackp1ne 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chances are, other tank mates ate them. Chilchids are very parental and will take care of their babies until they can go off on their own. i didn't know my sevrums had spawned until I had to fish a dead cory catfish out of the tank and was attacked by Packer(my female severum).
Chances are if you have other fish in the tank, they did it. If not, you have problem parents. It could(or is) their first spawn and they dont know what to do. Its not too common but it happens.
Good luck next time!
2007-04-12 08:18:19 · answer #6 · answered by Sputz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
THEY HID THEM!!
2007-04-12 08:17:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋