Male or female Convict?

[Dissy]

Everything I've ever read indicates males do not have orange on their bellies. However, recently, I've read that now males CAN have orange on their bellies until they're a little older. However, LFS (yeah, right - it's Petco in my tiny town) says if it's got orange, it's a female. On the other hand, super long flowing fins are another male trait with Convicts. These are the three pics I was able to get.. (Pardon my crappy picture taking ability)

Thoughts? Male, or female?

 

[HUKIT]

Not great with convicts but looks like a male to me.

 

[Eternal]

Looks like a female to me but the long fins define a male so it's kind of confusing and the pink convict on the back is definitely a female

 

[Dissy]

Looks like a female to me but the long fins define a male so it's kind of confusing and the pink convict on the back is definitely a female

The pink one, I know. That's Taco. There's a third that's also not in dispute; she's a female..

Just, Guido seems to be an issue, depending on who you talk to...and I do NOT want babies. However, Taco's laid eggs twice - they just haven't hatched.

Two replies here - one says male, one says female. LOL...

 

[loveconvicts]

Convicts are getting harder to sex do to inbreeding. I say it is a female though due to the orange on the belly. Its very rare that males will have that coloration

 

[Dissy]

Convicts are getting harder to sex do to inbreeding. I say it is a female though due to the orange on the belly. Its very rare that males will have that coloration

Regardless of the super long flowing fins? (well, one fin for now - he pissed off one of the females, and she took the other one).

 

[Bettababe1011]

Regardless of the super long flowing fins? (well, one fin for now - he pissed off one of the females, and she took the other one).

I don't know anything about convicts, so I'm not much help, but OUCH!! Losing a fin has to hurt!!

In loving memory of Pansa Princess, the greatest horse who ever lived. May you rest in peace.

 

[loveconvicts]

Yeah one can't really rely on the long dorsal fins anymore unless you have wild caught ones. I have a breeding pair where both the male and female have the long dorsal fin!

 

[Dissy]

Yeah one can't really rely on the long dorsal fins anymore unless you have wild caught ones. I have a breeding pair where both the male and female have the long dorsal fin!

I'll go with that, because it's what I want to hear. I *really* don't want babies.

Considering putting a slightly smaller Green Terror in with them. Thoughts?

 

[loveconvicts]

I don't know much about the green terrors but from my understanding they are pretty aggressive and get big. How big is your tank?

 

[DA fisherman]

Second pic looks like a female to me , it's not just the red belly but the aqua green coloring on the fins. All the females I've had looked just like that..... But it's true about the in breeding is changing all that :-/

 

[Dissy]

I don't know much about the green terrors but from my understanding they are pretty aggressive and get big. How big is your tank?

30 gallon.. My largest convict is maybe 2", and the smallest is the one pictured.. The pink one's right between the two.. They'll all be moving to a 125 gallon within 2 months.

 

[Dissy]

Second pic looks like a female to me , it's not just the red belly but the aqua green coloring on the fins. All the females I've had looked just like that..... But it's true about the in breeding is changing all that :-/

All three pics are the same fish.. Now I've gotta change his name. I've always assumed it was a male just because of the fins, and his attitude... :/

 

[loveconvicts]

Well I would think the convicts would be able to fend it off especially in the 125. Someone on here will be able to tell you for sure!

 

[mdawg75]

What are safe to put in with Convicts? Sorry new to the Cichlid world but very interested.

 

[bigsky_25]

had convicts for a year and had to get rid of the pair because of constant breeding.. My male looked alot like yours does... he was paired with the gold and white (not sure the name) cichlid... if you have males in your tank I'm sure the female took her pick and hes not happy about it.

 

[Dissy]

What are safe to put in with Convicts? Sorry new to the Cichlid world but very interested.

Pretty much other convicts.

However, I added a Green Terror, with the knowledge that they're moving to a tank 5 times the current size within 3 months tops.

Meet Fluffy.

 

[Eternal]

Dissy- the picture above is not a green terror, it's a jack dempsey.

 

[loveconvicts]

Yeah that's a jack not a green terror! She'll be just fine with those convicts

 

[Tim Wheatley]

If anybody has the ability, can you take a look and see if I found a pair?

They did pair off and I noticed that the smaller fish (with the orange) was just about the only fish the larger fish wasn't chasing. I have seen them going round and round in circles and now the smaller fish is in one of the cichlid caves while the large one remains outside trying to attack my camera. I had to coax the smaller (orange) one out with some bloodworms to get a photo.

Both fish are VERY aggressive now and until they were alone they simply weren't like that. The larger fish hangs around outside most of the time, the smaller (orange) one comes outside but swims back to the cave the instant I approach the tank. So I am thinking I might have eggs in there already?

Let me know what you think of the photos and/or behavior.

Here's the smaller one with the visible orange:
Convict Cichlids | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Here's the larger one with paler colors:
Convict Cichlids | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Believe it or not they actually both came at about the same size, the larger is almost twice the length of the small now though!