Help me sex this Convict Cichlid

[YuccaPatrol]

yes, I know that convicts are supposed to be the easiest to sex, but this one has me stumped.

Everything I have read says that males have long pointed filamentous dorsal fins (which this one definitely has) and that females have peach colored scales on their bellies.

So what the heck is this if it shows both male and female characteristics???



So far it has killed both a "male" (with no peach and pointy dorsal fin) and a female (with blunt dorsal fin and peachy scales) that I have offered it as a mate.

I have now added an albino pink convict "male" (with pointy dorsal fin) and they are getting along fine so far. I am hoping that the pink and the striped will still breed.

 

[BrianNY]

This is a male. Females fins are much more rounded,

 

[YuccaPatrol]

This is a male. Females fins are much more rounded,

So males can have the female characteristic of peachy scales? That's what is throwing me off here.

 

[BrianNY]

Absolutely. Although the males can be a little more vibrant in color, it's hard to detect a gender color difference in most cichlids.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Thanks Brian!

 

[jrp1588]

mean little buggers. THe LFS had a tank full of babies 5 for $1...too bad I have no good place for them

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Surprise, surprise! This "male" convict just laid her eggs today. . . .

I guess sexing rules are meant to be broken in the world of convicts. Hopefully it was a successful mating and I'll have lots of little baby convicts to feed to my larger cichlids!

 

[jrp1588]

haha, good stuff

 

[Devilishturtles]

Surprise, surprise! This "male" convict just laid her eggs today. . . .

I guess sexing rules are meant to be broken in the world of convicts. Hopefully it was a successful mating and I'll have lots of little baby convicts to feed to my larger cichlids!

If not this time, just give it a few weeks. They won't let you down, that's for sure.

My two convicts (male and female) look identical if you try to detect their gender by finnage. The only difference is the pink scales on her belly.

Best of luck with the lil' ones.

 

[BrianNY]

Well seeing a fish laying eggs is a sure way to tell. I'm really surprised though. Guess I'm more familiar with severums and Jack Dempseys which have distinct fin differences. Good luck with the spawn.

 

[YuccaPatrol]

Well seeing a fish laying eggs is a sure way to tell. I'm really surprised though. Guess I'm more familiar with severums and Jack Dempseys which have distinct fin differences. Good luck with the spawn.

You are definitely right about sexing most of the SA cichlids by the fin shapes. This particular convict is just an oddball with male shaped fins and female peachy colored scales. It had me baffled too for the past month.

Thanks Brian.