noob kenyi question

[OMGdickkemp]

i purchased 3 kenyi cichlids 2 females and a male. the male died and after some time one of the female cichlids has turned very light but pretty yellow. she still retains her vertical stripes.

my theory is that with a lack of a male she has become the dominant fish and when i add a male she will return to her blue striped color that looks more like a female (and hopefully will start breeding).

sorry no pics bad lighting but when the sun goes down i can produce some pics.

 

[Kalen]

You most likely had two males to begin with - the dominate male which has now died and a sub-dominate male; the one who is now changing colors. The sub-dominate male was either A. a juvenile who is just now changing to his adult colors, or B. a mature sub-dominate male who was wearing the female colors to avoid being the target of aggression from the once dominate male.

 

[OMGdickkemp]

huh, now that makes a lot of sense. wow sweet and ty. how long before i will know that the other one is a female?

 

[Kalen]

No problem. I want to say they develop their adult colors at around 2.5" give or take.