convict male or female?
- Thread starter rook45
- Start date
Females have an orange-redish side during breeding and the males have longer fins...from what I've heard.
the orange on the side of the female is the best way to tell. fin length varies by fish. I've kept males with extended fins and other males with shorter fins. I've also had females with extended fins and other females with shorter fins. 
more color variety in the females. Besides the orange , the caudal fin can have some blue and gold too. When quite small, and no orange is evident, look for a sliver of gold in the dorsal fin. Good chance its a female.
As they grow, the differences will be much more obvious. ie, size/girth difference, nuchal growth on male.
A very easy cichlid to sex.
As they grow, the differences will be much more obvious. ie, size/girth difference, nuchal growth on male.
A very easy cichlid to sex.
got 4 black convicts and i don't seen much difference in them there all about an inch. is this still to small to tell which one is which?
As they are still pretty small, and no orange is noticeable, keep an eye out for some gold on the dorsal fin. It will most likely be at the front, spiny part of the dorsal. Good chance you've got a female..Plus, if you just picked these fellahs up, I'm sure that their overall coloration and appearance will (should) improve tenfold over the next 24-48 hours.
check their fin length.
if theres one whose fins go out past the tail, that guy is probably a male.
also, when they get older, the males will be a little bigger, and the female will have orange on their stomach area.
i have albino convicts, so the way to sex those is;
females begin to turn red in the belly once their ready to begin spawning, and the males have no color on them.
if theres one whose fins go out past the tail, that guy is probably a male.
also, when they get older, the males will be a little bigger, and the female will have orange on their stomach area.
i have albino convicts, so the way to sex those is;
females begin to turn red in the belly once their ready to begin spawning, and the males have no color on them.
"Sexing is not difficult. Males are the larger sex but contain less brilliant coloration. Males also develop longer, pointier dorsal and anal fins with age. Females of the species are more likely to display orange patterns on their bellies and dorsal fins."
It sounds like yours are still young, they will start showing off their colors soon enough.
It sounds like yours are still young, they will start showing off their colors soon enough.