Dwarf Flag Cichlid?

[NUMB3RS]

I just purchased a Curvicep Cichlid and he is a good size. I was doing some research and I saw some pretty amazing Curviceps and I was wondering will mine get that color as he mature. He is about 1.5 inches and not fully mature. How do I know if it's a male or female?

 

[darth pike]

Most of those amazing pics you see of curviceps are them in their breeding coloration, they aren't always that blue normally. Also, yours could be a dorsigera instead, most 'curviceps' sold in the US are due to them breeding in florida fish farms. I do see what looks like a red flush along the stomach area, but it's not enough for me to tell 100% or not. On the dorsal fin, if the last rear half is edged in silver/white it's a curviceps, orange/red it's a dorsigera. I can't tell which one in the pics, old laptopsdon't have the best resolution.

 

[japes]

It's a Laetacara dorsigera, probably male, but you won't see the purple or red belly unless they're showing breeding or courting colours.

Here's some horrible shots of my F0 Dorsigera that I had to take on my phone because I don't currently have a camera.

.. and some shots from a friends breeding pair that was from the same import batch.

 

[darth pike]

Japes - Depends on the race, my dorsigera showed the red even when not breeding. BUT you are lucky, your friend's dorsigera are the prettiest I've ever seen and the envy of all us Laetacara lovers on another forum, so if yours are from the same batch, you should be in good shape!!

 

[DaveB]

Hey, I know that tank.

It is very hard to find l. curviceps stateside. I just bought a group of them and they were the first I've seen in almost two years of looking. They're almost always dorsigera, and yours looks to be too. Still great fish, though, as Peter's pair shows. There are some other great photos over at C-F in the Laetacara thread too.

 

[NUMB3RS]

How do I know for sure if it's a male or female?

 

[darth pike]

At 1.5 inches you might not be able to tell yet, as this is going to be a fin length type of deal. In the last pic Japes posted, you can clearly see the males dorsal and anal fins extending past the midpoint of the tail where the females don't even reach the peak of the tail.

 

[NUMB3RS]

So the finnage will grow throughout its life right? Mine doesnt have and elongated fin so does that mean it's a she? Or the finnage might grow elongated?