Blood Parrot Peel question

[glenbo]

Hi I have 3 Blood Parrots in my Cichlid community, 2 of them have peeled, the 2" BP is a bright orange colour, the 5" BP is a pinky colour but my 3" has never peeled :S

When i first bought it, it was grey and barred like a juvi Red Devil, with blue spots on his tail, it went a very dark colour a few months back, its now grown from 2" to 3" and still never peeled, the others were bright orange by 2"

Is this guy a late starter? is this normal? or is there a chance it will always stay black striped? (which would be cool)

 

[Chrisplosion]

One of mine didn't start till she was 3.5". She is now a bit over 4" and still has some black on her.

 

[glenbo]

Ahh cool, i do kinda wish it would stay how it is, just as something different

While im on the BP subject, does anyone know how to sex them?

or is it venting only? I vented my big guy, and he was deffo a male (probably explains his aggression!)

Because i want to find a definite female to cross with my male texas

 

[Chrisplosion]

Venting is gonna be the best way. You can't go by fins or size. I would goto a pet store that has a bunch of parrots at least 3-4 inches and see which has the biggest fastest tube sticking out and that should be a female. Skinny and pointy is male.

 

[Kaliedoscope]

I had a couple babies peel to the colours of a barred midas, one is almost "bumblebee" colours. You can never tell, theres alot of random genes in every animal