please help me choose a dwarf cichlid

[Gillie]

hey in the video i posted above, it looks like the male is blocking the larger female from going after the smaller female. i am starting to think he is sweet on her. for a while he was hanging with the larger one, but now he seems to be more fond of the smaller one.

Well it would be hard to spawn with two females if one gets beat to death. Cacs are the only harem spawners I've noticed that in, other species could really care less.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

 

[thing fish]

i am starting to wonder if i ended up with 2 males. ned did mention sometimes you get a sneaker male, and the two that i thought were females are starting to look quite different. the smaller one, i am sure is female, and has a solid line of black down her lateral line...the one i thought was a larger female does not have this line. could it just be that the smaller female is closer to being in spawn condition, or did i end up with 2 males?

here is a photo of the suspect to the left:

 

[thing fish]

and some video of the "two" females. the first one is for sure female, but i dont know about the second. any help is appreciated...if i got a sneeker male, i am sure ned would let me trade him for a female.

 

[Brookster123]

I'm thinking female, wait for gillie and dalto though..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Gillie]

It could be female, some females of the double, triple and super red lines will have the red and black coloring, but it could also be a sub dominant male but the video doesn't quite show the fish well enough to show. Could you possibly get a pic from the side with the fins displayed?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[thing fish]

blurry, but i managed to get it. i have no idea...im starting to see more yellow on it, now. would a male have any yellow? also, i am noticing that fish picking up gravel and moving it. would a male be doing that or is this a female getting an area ready for spawn. i am thoroughly confused now. ha

 

[dalto]

I always find the tank raised strains of cacatuoides more difficult to sex as some of the females show characteristics usually only seen in males.

That looks like a female to me.

 

[thing fish]

thank you...i feel much better now. i didnt feel like bagging it up and exchanging it. i will still keep posting up more pics later though.

 

[dalto]

Don't thank me yet, let's wait until Gillie comes by.

 

[Brookster123]

Don't thank me yet, let's wait until Gillie comes by.

Gillie said his piece

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Gillie]

I should add this some males in these strains also show a bit of yellow body color. The pic is a bit blurry but the first rays on the dorsal look like they could be starting to elongate a bit, but I can't say for sure because I can't see the tips of the dorsal and anal fins clearly.

Oh and the substrate movement is normal behavior, apistos will sift pick around for food like their geophagus cousins.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[thing fish]

 

[Gillie]

Still can't tell, the angle on the male is pretty good though.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[thing fish]

oh that pic wasnt about sexing. was trying to get some shots of the male. he is looking good..im going to assume the other two are both female, although i will get some better pics of all of them later on. i finally got around to buying a background, so no more wires/outlets in the photos, and i figured out that my ipad takes way better photos than my lousy camera.

if the larger female truly is female, she has some very colored up fins compared to the other. the smaller female has more yellow.

hey, if anyone wants to post pics of their cacatuoides, especially in spawing colors, please do.

i am going to continue to use this thread as my tank journal and try to get lots of photos and post up questions as they arise. i appreciate all the great info/advice.

 

[Brookster123]

My first male and his first spawn, I know it's creepy but she was after him.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[thing fish]

nice photo, and helpful. my females do not have nearly as much yellow, although i am seeing a good deal of behaviors that indicate that they are gonna be getting busy before too long. one of the females seems to be clearing out a cave underneath the large rock in my tank.

i added a new background today, and it seems a little glossy. my male fish can see his reflection in it, and has been spending a lot of time getting all puffed up looking at his own reflection. im gonna keep an eye on this and if it continues i will buy a duller black background that doesnt reflect like this one.

 

[Gillie]

The reflection isn't a bad thing, it gives the male something to distract him when females are on nests or not ready to spawn instead of harassing the girls or getting beat up by them.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[thing fish]

of course i just took the backing off...he has been staring at his reflection the past couple hours wanting a fight

 

[Gillie]

I paint all of mine flat black, but usually put a small mirror in the tank, it's kind of fun to watch them flare, swim around the mirror looking for the other fish and flaring again when they see their reflection again.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Brookster123]

I paint all of mine flat black, but usually put a small mirror in the tank, it's kind of fun to watch them flare, swim around the mirror looking for the other fish and flaring again when they see their reflection again.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

You do?? I'm totally doing that if it's a legit practice..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app