Convict question. Male or Female?

[Ketamine]

This one has spent the past few days working on a pit toward the right side of my aquarium, constantly picking up bits of gravel and spitting it out, pushing against a rock and stirring up debris with its tail end and flaring its gills like a male betta. Its developed a dark blue irridescent tint to its fins especially the anal fin.

The reason I ask about the sex is that both this one and its partner have pink bellies and not very pointy fins compared to my other Convicts. Not sure if this is part of male female behavior but the partner spends most of it's time away from the pit and is nearly twice the size of the pit protector. The one in the pit only eats if I drop food right above it and hasn't been feeding with the others since it started its project.

Perhaps my question is a common one but this is my first time keeping Cichlids so I'm doing the best I can to learn about their nuances.

 

[SinisterKisses]

Well, a closer shot would be helpful. But, if you say it (and its partner) have pink bellies, then they are female. Convicts are just about the easiest thing to sex...females have pink/orange bellies, males do not.

VERY nice looking con, btw.

 

[Tongue33]

Looks like a male from this point of view...

A male.. Can you get a closer pic and is there any Orange on the Tummy

 

[Lupin]

Definitely a male. Nice looking fish.

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Without the orange belly it is had to say female, but the body shape looks to be like a female. When not in breeding mode females do tend to lose the orange belly.

 

[Stab]

If there is ANY definitive hint at orange (or as you say pink) coloration on the belly it is definetely a female. Keep in mind that on very young fish this will appear as one or two colored scales, so you may have to look closely to spot it at first

Oh... And it does look like a male from the pic but if you as mentioned have seen orange on the belly then it got to be a female

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Here is my first female, as you can see no hint of orange at that time.

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Another thing that you can tell by male and female, which isn't always accurate, is that the anal fin is arrowhead shaped which technically would be female, otherwise males anal fins are long and pointy and usually extend passed the tail.

 

[dougefresh]

From the picture you cannot see any orange or pink coloration on it so it looks like a male but IMO it's body style looks exactly like the female I have........A closer picture would help so we can see its coloration and a more detailed view of the body.........

 

[cchhcc]

Dorsal fin spot says female for sure to me...