Jewel cichlid help!

[Spurs96]

Hi
I currently have 3 jewel cichlids on their own in a 60 litre tank. I have a few questions.

1. How large do they have to be to be fertile (approx. 3 inches ATM).
2. Best way to discourage aggression? (one fin nips & chases other two who have turned pale pink/blue- he is still bright red).
3.Tankmates? Other cichlids? Cats?
4. How to sex them-believe all are male which could xplain aggression?

Thanks, Matt

 

[alLexX]

1-they could breed now
2-get a bigger tank(40 gallon minimum,yours is about 15 gallons)
3-none in your tank. but mine(in my 55) aare with black skirt tetras,a rainbowshark,a peacock eel,an evil otto,and a swordtail
4-see them spawn. the one that lays eggs is female

 

[christine2012]

Hi
I currently have 3 jewel cichlids on their own in a 60 litre tank. I have a few questions.

1. How large do they have to be to be fertile (approx. 3 inches ATM).
2. Best way to discourage aggression? (one fin nips & chases other two who have turned pale pink/blue- he is still bright red).
3.Tankmates? Other cichlids? Cats?
4. How to sex them-believe all are male which could xplain aggression?

Thanks, Matt

Mine breed at 2".
You're probably going to need more females if there's chasing and nipping. If they are two inches you should be seeing a difference between the two sexes by now. They look basically the same, the only difference I can tell is size. The males dorsal may be more pointed and he will more than likely be a darker red than a female. Or if you have two males the dominant male will be darker red. And you can't really fit anything else in that tank.

 

[alLexX]

Mine breed at 2".
You're probably going to need more females if there's chasing and nipping. If they are two inches you should be seeing a difference between the two sexes by now. They look basically the same, the only difference I can tell is size. The males dorsal may be more pointed and he will more than likely be a darker red than a female. Or if you have two males the dominant male will be darker red. And you can't really fit anything else in that tank.

IME,males are not always darker. both my females are normally darker than my male(when in breeding colours). i agree with the finnage difference,but that is an extremely indefinite way to tell. i doubt you could tell more than half the time whether they are male or female with that method. and as i said before,they need to be moved,that tank is way too small,that could be why they arent breeding