fins on my convict.

Question
Hi, i have 5 convicts. I recently seperated 2 of them into their seperate tank. It is a male and female. I put some decor in the tank, a cave and some plants. They seem to love the setup, even though it is basic. I notice that the female will swim into the cave and press up against the wall for a few seconds, and swim out, and the male will do the same. I think they might be breeding. thats not the question. they will come out of the cave with the two lower fins out and all the rest of their fins extended. I was wondering why the 2 fins on the bottom were extended on both the male and female? thank!, josh

Answer
Hi Josh,
 How long have they been in that new tank?  If it has been more than about a week, they may have already laid eggs, which are just now hatching.  They extend the lower fins as a signal to the babies.   If they really do have
babies, you will see the parents "snap" the lower fins
by extending them really quickly.  That is generally a signal to the kids to "hit the deck" because danger is nearby.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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