Fossorochromis Rostratus question

[sick_lid]

I have 2 rostratus that are just about 6" long. They recently have started getting agressive with eachother at times, with one of them having its black spots really faded most of the time. Any way to tell if one or both are males at this point? I purchased them both at about an inch and a half, and theres about a quarter inch difference in size today.. Thanks for any input everyone.

There also in an all male peacock tank, so dominance plays a big part at times with everyone..

 

[Brooks74]

Post a pic of both of them. What shape is the anal fins? (rounded or to a point)

 

[vfc]

Same situation for me. I purchased two at about an 1". When they got to be ~ 6" they started fighting. I separated them in two different tanks and both colored up nicely. One is far more aggressive than the other in their tanks. The more colorful one I had to partition off in the tank to keep it from killing off the other tank occupants. The other one chases his tank mates but does not harm them. Good luck with yours.

 

[fox3]

The only way to tell at that size is to vent them. You still have a long way to go in growing them out if they are at 6". The black spots sorta fade on the males and they will start to color up around 8-9" if they are males. We have two mature males that give each other a hard time so you will expect one to be subdominant but both of ours colored up nicely. We are growing out two more in the same tank and they are the same size as yours @ 6" with the big guys paying no attention to them at all.