Carpintis Cichlid Male or Female?

[Nilsafeller]

Hello everyone, so I have always found carpintis cichlids to be so incredibly beautiful. Especially the ones from the Escondido region. I found this little one at just over an inch and bought it. I say "it" because it is now around 3.0-3.5 inches in size and I still cant tell its gender. Any one out there with a good amount of experience that might be able to help me tell the gender would be greatly appreciated. I took the best photos I could get for now........Male or Female???

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Looks like a super gorgious male

 

[Nilsafeller]

A lack of black spot in the dorsal is not a fool proof way to sex this species as being female, or male, and neither is a slight nuchal hump. As I stated initially, the fish seems too long in the face to me to be male, the slope is too long in the head profile. Look at my male, and how blunt his face is in comparison to the OP's fish, even as a young juvenile fish.

Ah! I see what you're saying... just looks super thick in the head

 

[duanes]

Duane - do NOT look at the following photo. lol

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I had to look, couldn't help myself. Someone will be coming, you won't know when, but you can count on it.
But I agree with RD, my first impression was female, with the gentle slop of the profile, subtle curve of the fins, and do I see the beginnings of a black blotch in the dorsal?
It is still quite young though, so it may be a late bloomer.
Here is a female I had.

Now a male, with a macho profile

 

[RD.]

And duanes , just to put your mind at ease the young produced from that pair become live "food" shortly after.

 

[duanes]

And duanes , just to put your mind at ease the young produced from that pair become live "food" shortly after.

I had a feeling you would.
My swami (Biff) and life coach (Trixie) thank you for the reassurance.

 

[Manu8__too]

In my own experience, Carpintis can be difficult to determine gender until they put some size on. Here’s an example of a 4” female that I owned a few years back. Notice her “football” shape, as opposed to the males, whom have much steeper heads. Just a reference....

 

[RD.]

I had no issue sexing mine @ 3" while it was in the bag. The vendor had no idea, I said thanks for the male, and off I went a happy customer. For myself, with carpintis, the head profile is always a dead giveaway. There are other things to consider for sure, but the head profile never lies.

 

[duanes]

You can even sometimes tell the alpha males from females by the profile, when they are only an inch or two.

 

[Man-made Monsters]

Thanks for all the pictures and feed back on my carpintis everyone. You all have given me some valuable insight. I too was buying this fish at 1.5 inches thinking female. She had that elongated football look, a long face, and what was starting to look like a little dark patch on her dorsal fin. I've always been a huge fan of pearls on fish and the carpintis is hard to beat. If this fish turns out to be male he will be going up for sale as I am currently in need of a female. Thanks again everyone. great feedback!!

 

[Red Cichlids]

Very nice fish in all the pics. My immediate take on the first fish was female because the dark barring and the center of gravity being even with/ below the mouth. Males carry more weight above their mouths. Could just be a fat male though.

That second male is very pretty but that rounded head profile makes me wonder if there is some vieja/red texas back in the woodpile.