Convict question.

[JDCHSFB69]

I got a con for my friend. He wants to breed them, but one conv I picked out had a really long dorsal fin so I concluded it was a male, but it has red on its belly. Is this possible? I know the fin show male 100%

 

[Mythic Figment]

I got a con for my friend. He wants to breed them, but one conv I picked out had a really long dorsal fin so I concluded it was a male, but it has red on its belly. Is this possible? I know the fin show male 100%

Belly is more reliable form of sexing convicts. Fins will change as breeding produces genetic variations. Take severums for example. They have been line bred so much that females have fins that are often just as long as males and are starting to reach a point where their facial markings are almost as prominent as those of a male too.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[doomiedee]

Well with convicts any pinkish orange in the belly it's a female. Regardless of fin shape or size. My calico pair's fins are almost exactly the same. Females can trick you into thinking they are males especially after breeding. This is my female she can easily pass for a male in the first pic.
Showing her true colors. (Female on the right.)


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[darth pike]

Keep in mind trailers in quite a few species are a sign of dominance, not sex ... so a dominate female can have longer, more pointed fins. Also, young males can show the orange on the belly and it will fade with age.

 

[doomiedee]

Keep in mind trailers in quite a few species are a sign of dominance, not sex ... so a dominate female can have longer, more pointed fins. Also, young males can show the orange on the belly and it will fade with age.

I've seen less dominant females orange fade but never seen a male get any orange in its belly. I've owned and breed a lot of convicts.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Mythic Figment]

Keep in mind trailers in quite a few species are a sign of dominance, not sex ... so a dominate female can have longer, more pointed fins. Also, young males can show the orange on the belly and it will fade with age.

I bred convicts for about two years and I too have never seen this in a male. I have seen females whose orange will fade without completely disappearing (turns a very light pink color), but it always fires back up during breeding.

But I will agree on the dominance in fins. Not all cichlids, but many have longer fin displays as a show of dominance.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Anchovie]

Yup. Fins don't matter. Orange on belly, female.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[japbart]

Don't rely on find. Rely on the belly. My female con has long trailing fins.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[darth pike]

I've seen less dominant females orange fade but never seen a male get any orange in its belly. I've owned and breed a lot of convicts.

I bred convicts for about two years and I too have never seen this in a male. I have seen females whose orange will fade without completely disappearing (turns a very light pink color), but it always fires back up during breeding.

I had a male that kept the orange until about 3", and yes I knew he was a male since he was breeding with a much more obvious female and the fry were viable. It was just a small spattering, but I still found it odd. Several people on MFK said they had male convicts with similiar markings though. The concept of males presenting female coloring to avoid aggression of the dominate male is very old though, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised with convicts, especially since the ones most people buy are a mix of 2-3 different species and who knows how many races.

 

[doviione]

It's a female.