Could my sev be a rotkeil?

[CTU2fan]

I know, this thread is useless without pics But I bought a couple of baby sevs a couple months ago and I'm growing them out. Well the green one is starting to show a touch of red in that cheek area where it is on the rotkeils. There's not a lot of red there, it's mostly noticeable when he's getting rowdy with the gold sev. He's only about 2" long...what I'm wondering is do the baby rotkeils show the red or does it intensify as they grow? Because if it comes in as they mature I might have a rotkeil, which would be pretty cool.

 

[balton777]

On the cheek area doesn't indicate Rotkiel...that means it's male. The red should be around the upper head and shoulder area to down around behind the gill plate.

I borrowed these from the great Mr. Rapps' website
(www.tangledupincichlids.com)

See the male's cheeks on the top photo has jellybeans/worms/spots...whatever we're calling them these days. The bottom female doesn't but both have the red shoulders.

 

[dragonfish]

My greens will sometimes get a little reddish tint around the face and lower body when acting up.

 

[Bobears]

On the cheek area doesn't indicate Rotkiel...that means it's male. The red should be around the upper head and shoulder area to down around behind the gill plate.

I borrowed these from the great Mr. Rapps' website
(www.tangledupincichlids.com)

See the male's cheeks on the top photo has jellybeans/worms/spots...whatever we're calling them these days. The bottom female doesn't but both have the red shoulders.

This is 100% true.

 

[voss345]

how small are they , i have rotkiel babys and they havent shown red yet at 1.5-2"

 

[CTU2fan]

Mine has the red behind the eye, above the gill plate, it never extends all the way down behind the gills like in the Rapps pics.

 

[balton777]

Some will have more red than others due genetics and possibly diet but like most cichlids they won't get their best coloration until mature. You mentioned they're babies now so give them some time.