Sexing my jag cichlid

[Shine6006]

Hi everyone I just got a jag cichlid shipped to me and I did ask for a male one but it's colours are very dull and has a lot of black on it. I was hoping someone was able to tell me if it's actually a male and if gonna look like that forever or will the jag pattern come out eventually. Thank you! View attachment 1232807 View attachment 1232808

 

[Covetous]

It'll lighten up. It's just stressed, give it some time. It's still abit small to sex accurately. But first impression is female. But like I said it's still small, and being stressed and not showing the patterns doesn't help with sexing. Congrats on the pickup!

 

[Shine6006]

Thank you! Oh man I really hope it's not a female and yeah seems very stressed still. It's about 3 inches right now I'd say. would I be able to see by venting?

 

[Covetous]

Thank you! Oh man I really hope it's not a female and yeah seems very stressed still. It's about 3 inches right now I'd say. would I be able to see by venting?

I'd let it grow abit man, let it destress. They grow really fast. You'll be able to tell soon.

 

[Shine6006]

Sounds good thanks for the replies!

 

[GTcichlid74]

The substrate is black in the photo plus when a jag is less comfortable and or dominant their colors go dark, he will lighten up with age and yes it looks male

 

[Shine6006]

That's good news I'm really hoping it's a male. does the dark substrate dull the colours? I was reading and thought they would enhance the colours.

 

[GTcichlid74]

He will be darker with dark substrate. It all depends on the species but I find jags look nicer with a natural light substrate and dark background

 

[Covetous]

That's good news I'm really hoping it's a male. does the dark substrate dull the colours? I was reading and thought they would enhance the colours.

It can darken them up, but it really just depends. Alot of fish darken or lighten with the color of the substrate and background. But the genetic color of the fish doesn't change just the shading. Jags very in color alot. From silver's to golds to blue in the fins to mixes. Here is my male who is a very dark jag that's super gold. On white sand.

But most of the time. Dark background/ dark substrate = darker fish. It's a natural survival tactic.

Sorry this one shows his color abit more.

 

[Shine6006]

That's a beautiful jag! He will turn out really nice I see a little blue in the fins and the gold is very nice! But it's true maybe the substrate will make him darker. I was hoping it would make the colours stand out more haha in my African south American tank it makes the colours of th3 fish really stand out