Sexing Red Terrors when small

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Newt

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2005
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Michigan's UP
Is it possible to sex a red terror at say two or three inches?

Since my eel jumped I decided to get a female red terror for my 75. The LPS special ordered 6 of them for me but I really don't want to buy all 6 and grow them out.
 
Don't think you will have much luck at that size. Might be able to find a male, the dominet one picking on the rest, but a female will be hard.
 
I picked up my female at ~1.5". I wasn't sure she was female at the time but she was smaller than most of the others in the tank and had a small dark spot (but not black) close to her dorsal.
KNH
 
An lfs has Rterrors 4 sale at 4.99 for a 2-3" size. I think they are incredible looking cichlids, I want one. they all look the same as far as color is conscerned. they are great looking cichlids. would it be better to get a couple n grow them out? or should I just get one, it would be going into a 40 g. high with a small butti, at 3", n, a convict at 3"? This is not permanent. its just to grow them a little, before moving them to their own quarters.
 
Salty said:
An lfs has Rterrors 4 sale at 4.99 for a 2-3" size. I think they are incredible looking cichlids, I want one. they all look the same as far as color is conscerned. they are great looking cichlids. would it be better to get a couple n grow them out? or should I just get one, it would be going into a 40 g. high with a small butti, at 3", n, a convict at 3"? This is not permanent. its just to grow them a little, before moving them to their own quarters.
Click to expand...

If they are true festaes or red terrors and cost only $5 each, then I would buy all of them and try to get a pair. Be careful and not get ripped off. Most red terrors in LFS are Uros (aka Mayan cichlid).

Here's my juvie female when first purchased. The eyespot should cover the top half of the back fin.
488347243hhfHXz_ph.jpg


Two weeks later....notice the black blotch by the dorsal fin as well as the lack of spangling on all the fins. Females lose the spangling as they mature typically.
502343635PSHeaa_ph.jpg


Later on...
539572913vWooEt_ph.jpg


Here she is just recently 8 months after purchase...
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Her fry a few days ago:headbang2
DSCN0199.jpg
 
Nice, what about the vertical stripes? all the terrors in the lfs have em. Is that a good indicator of a true terror? I really like that second to last pic. What a great looking cichlid.
 
She is a nice RT.
 
Salty said:
Nice, what about the vertical stripes? all the terrors in the lfs have em. Is that a good indicator of a true terror? I really like that second to last pic. What a great looking cichlid.
Click to expand...


The 2nd and 3rd stripe should form a "y" on a real festae. Uros have all vertical stripes.

The small eyespot on the upper portion of the back fin along with the "Y" bar is the key to telling a true festae. Uros' eyespot is more oval and elongated and cover most of the back fin as juvies.


Also, uros tend to have a yellowish hue as juvies. Festaes tend to have a more pinkish hue as juvies.
 
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