Baby Convicts

Question
Hello. My pair of convicts have just had babies. we have had this tank for at least 6 months and this is the first time i have seen babies. there is not as many as I have heard people talk about I see maybe 20-30 , they are protecting them very well and hiding them under a house .
I really would like to keep them alive . I have a big jack dempsey and other cichlids in the tank and now I understand what the fighting has been about !  but they have seemed to understand and are leaving the convicts and there area alone . If there is anything I can do to help them survive please let me know or if there is something I can do for the next time she has babies I can prepare now . thanks so much for your time
Diane

Answer
Hi Diane,
  Keep in mind that the reason convicts have so many babies is because most of them do not survive.  The biggest thing you can do to help them survive in that tank is to make sure that there are LOTS os potential hiding places, e.g., lots of structure in the tank such as wood, rocks, plants, etc to create hiding places.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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