I just got a few Mbunas and would like to know what sex they are so I can get the appropriate mate for them.I would also like to know if they breed with other types like yellow labs with red zebras or albinos with?I dont know but are they compatible breeding wise?
sexing Mbuna's?
- Thread starter z24frank
- Start date
there is no really sure fire way to tell males from females in most Mbuna. Males tend to have more vivid and have a greater number of them. Some say male yellow labs have black on all their fins. venting is the best way and then you have to wait until the fish are around 2-3in. i usually try and go with the eggspot theory myself, until they get older then i vent them. As far as breeding, they will all enter breed, thus resulting in hybrids. but if you supply the male with 3-4 females of his species they should be okay. Help me out people i am just going by what i have been told from various people. Let me know if i am wrong also
Easy to sex the fish when they are 2-3 inches long. Catch them and turn the fish over in your one hand. Take the index finger of the other hand and place it gently onto the under body just infront of the two holes. With a male you will see two very small holes and with a female the one will be quite a lot bigger. Luckily some of the species change colour when the males start to mature, Metriaclima lombardoi being one of them. Most of the Pseudotropheus species have the males being for more colourful than the females. Labidochromis caeruleus males tend to have more black on their fins and then when they mature you can find their faces becoming quite darkish in colour, like a brownish sort of tinge. You cannot rely on the anal fins and egg spots. I have been proved wrong on this method before.z24frank;542549; said:
Scotty;549382; said:Easy to sex the fish when they are 2-3 inches long. Catch them and turn the fish over in your one hand. Take the index finger of the other hand and place it gently onto the under body just infront of the two holes. With a male you will see two very small holes and with a female the one will be quite a lot bigger. Luckily some of the species change colour when the males start to mature, Metriaclima lombardoi being one of them. Most of the Pseudotropheus species have the males being for more colourful than the females. Labidochromis caeruleus males tend to have more black on their fins and then when they mature you can find their faces becoming quite darkish in colour, like a brownish sort of tinge. You cannot rely on the anal fins and egg spots. I have been proved wrong on this method before.
Venting is only reliable once a fish has spawned. Female virgin vents are similar to male vents in size and shape.
Post pix so we can see what you have and advise on the liklehood of one sex vs the other.