Synspilum color question with pictures

[pelleeklund]

Just trying to figure out why two of my fish from the same stock came out with such variance of color. Is this a sexing issue or is it related to dominance?
Also I included a picture of my Red Texas hoping that I could get an idea of what sex it is. If you have a guess please feel free to add it, I'm not pulling it out to vent it because it's psychotic, too much hassle for the fish and for me.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

For the vieja thats normal it will grow some more and turn into the other guy! Beautiful fish and I don't see any texas? The last picture is 100 percent flowerhorn...explains the attitude. Might have texas blood but is classified as flowerhorn.

 

[pelleeklund]

No sweat, it can be either type, more curious about what the sex of it is. Any guesses on it?

 

[Blue Bear]

I agree last pic is definitely FH.

My guess would be male.

 

[pelleeklund]

I always thought male as well, just trying to get a consensus, thanks for the guess.

 

[duanes]

Just curious, did you get the synspillum from a LFS or a respected breeder?
And I concur with Bluebear, the last pic might be a male. I don't see any dark color in the dorsal, which is a trait of both trimac, and/or other Central American females often combined when creating those hybrid types.

 

[pelleeklund]

I got the Syns from That Pet Place in Lancaster. I would say they are as reputable as it gets with their stock, I honestly can't complain, all of my best, most beautiful fish have come from them. I've never known them to mislabel or overcharge for anything and they usually have some of the rarer fish in stock. Duanes, I was using that dorsal trick as the basis for my guess on the FH's sex, but it still feels good that somebody with your cache back my guess up. Thanks buddy.

 

[duanes]

I do not think the LFSs are always to blame for misidentification. I believe because a certain percentage of any hybrid spawn will look like one parent or the other (sometimes temporarily, maybe even a year), and someone with a cross spawn, brings in a bunch of cichlids that look like the synspillum parent, but in reality are not, the LFSs is told they are, but the fish are actually hybrids. And the buyer ends up with mutts. The reality today is, getting what you want, is the exception, not the norm. Not saying this is what happened to you, but sad to say, the possibility is now more than ever, that kind of reality.

 

[pelleeklund]

I agree, I've seen it a lot in the mom and pop stores.