Male female convict?

[smokeythebair]

I had a breeding pair of convicts years ago and the female had no orange on her stomach or dorsal fin. I now have a male convict in a 125g about 3" and just added what I thought to be another male convict around 2.5". The one added has long dorsal fin also with no orange. The 3" is now protection the smaller one idk if it's because it's a female or just because they are alike

 

[smokeythebair]

It's throwing me off with having a long dorsal fin and no orange but is has to be female. The male is protecting it and swimming in front of it the whole time dancing. I would think if they were both male they would nip

 

[smokeythebair]

 

[smokeythebair]

Bad video

 

[smokeythebair]

Seem like a female Or will they act and defend a smaller male?

 

[Frank Castle]

might be a sub-dominant pretending for the sake of safety/protection

 

[smokeythebair]

That's what I'm thinking because they both look male. I just thought there would be nipping but it was friendly that's what made me think mating

 

[Frank Castle]

That's what I'm thinking because they both look male. I just thought there would be nipping but it was friendly that's what made me think mating

yup....sounds like he put on some camouflage to slip in under the radar.

 

[MP_cichlid]

just wait it out....God knows they will spawn if they can

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Hard to say give it a month if they don't spawn they're both males probably. I have a Midevil and known Flowerhorn who are showing signs of breeding. Digging together beating the hell out of the other fish together protecting an area. I grew that Midevil from an egg so I assumed it was a male was the biggest and fastest growing fish out of the batch. Her tube looks swollen so now I can assume it's a female. I thinned out my tank so now they got plenty of space so assuming due to that they started to pair off.

It's hard to say sometimes with these cichlids. Just wait it out see what happens.