How do you pick the right midas/reddevil juvies?

[flopping flamingos]

Hey guys, i was wondering how you pick the nicest red devils out of a bunch as juveniles? to my understanding they lose there splotching and stuff as they mature. or is this only the black splotching? Also a couple had striping at about 10cm almost like barred midas. could it be possible there the barred variety? or do most have them?

I apologize for all the questions, i just want to make sure i pick the right one.

cheers.

 

[Eläköön]

im interested to see what people respond ! i wanne know too =D
i just picked my one as the biggest most developed one (most likely a male)
as thats what i wanted

 

[haynchinook334]

buy five...wait till they are 6'', and pick the best looking one. and sell the rest.

 

[pdbrady]

buy five...wait till they are 6'', and pick the best looking one. and sell the rest.

It's that or cross your fingers on one. You never know with these guys. When picking one, I just look for the largest, most eye catching out of the bunch.

 

[Gage]

depending on size i look for a deep orange to red color or a sign of a nuchal hump.

 

[DwarfCichlid101]

I just look for the most original looking fish, not really depending on size since I can always grow them out.

 

[flopping flamingos]

ill have a look around
ill probably just find the best looking juvie and see how he turns out.

 

[---XR---]

I'm assuming your looking in LFS's stock? therefor, look around to see which fish are dominant fish and which are lesser fish. dominant males and females will have a pronounced nuchal hump even as juvi's. they will also run the tank. These fish grow largest, grow fastest, and ussally have the best colors/features.

 

[Camphilophus]

With (most) small fish that I am only buying one of I always just go with the largest fish in the tank which almost always ends up being male (accept for with my grammodes which I sexed before buying anyways.) On other instances I have picked up red devils just by their looks. I picked this guy out at walmart for $1.82 and is getting nicer by the day. Don't come across all white ones too often.

I've also just gotten 5 or so and grown them out, I have 4 I need to get rid of right now do to that. I'm keeping the one with the monstert hump. I just picked up 6 f1 barred midas and am doing the same thing.

 

[fishluvr12]

Buy several from good stock(Jeff Rapps or Ken Davis) and keep the nicest.I picked mine cause it was the largest and most dominant of the group.