Convict pregnancy

Question
I recently bought 2 convicts. A male and female and the female was pregnant.  They quickly nested and guarded an area together for about 3 days.  I couldn't see the eggs but I think she laid them.  Yesterday she was at the top of tank with slightly cloudy eyes and not guarding eggs at all. She was at the top of the tank hidden in the corner barely moving. (I thought she was dead at first but she was moving her fins a little.) The other fish in tank I think ate the eggs as they were not protected.  She was so protective and chased every other fish away but now she seems like a completely different fish.  What do you think happened??  What should I do to help the eye and get her to act like a health fish again?

Answer
Hi Erich,
 Convicts do not get pregnant as such. They are eggs layers.  The female lays the eggs and the male fertilizes them externally.  If things do not go well, then the mates may fight, sometimes very ferociously. That is what happened in your case.  You need to separate them so that the female has a chance to recover.  You do not need to treat her with any medicine, she just needs time and not to be bothered.  

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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