Cockatoo Cichlid male or female

[NiaCas]

I got two cockatoo cichlids today. I'm not sure how well you can see - they don't stay still for more than a second, but the one I'm wondering about is the smaller, paler...more pale....the one that has less color lol. Is that smaller one a female, or just a younger male? And does the color and shape of the fins change a bit as the fish get older - at least in males?

Sorry about the brown stuff. Java moss seems to be the only thing that won't grow green in my tank and even though I've tried taking it all out over and over again, more brown moss seems to materialize out of thing air -_-

 

[absolutangel04]

Moved to the cichlid section.

 

[NiaCas]

Thanks! Didn't even see there was a cichlid section. I'll probably be here more now. These same little cichlids don't seem to like the flakes I feed the rest of the fish. They just like to munch on the plants :/

 

[Brookster123]

2 males

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[Iamtechno13]

If you have a better picture of the second one. I'm not sold on it being a male. I have two females that look very similar to the one on the bottom.

 

[NiaCas]

Better? mmm..I don't think so. It's a bit hard to get a good pic :/ but I'll upload the not-so-blurry ones I could get aside from that one and I'll see if I can get any better in the morning. Hope they can help :/

 

[Gillie]

If you have a better picture of the second one. I'm not sold on it being a male. I have two females that look very similar to the one on the bottom.

I agree 100% there are some spectacular females out there.


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[Brookster123]

That'd be a fine looking female right there.. mine have had some orange but not like that, still though.. how big is it? It kind of looks like a juvie male??

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[Gillie]

That'd be a fine looking female right there.. mine have had some orange but not like that, still though.. how big is it? It kind of looks like a juvie male??

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It could very well be but a lot of females I've seen lately have had strong markings, only a pic with better finnage shots will tell.

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[Gillie]

But if you google cacatuoides super red you will see a female with fry and the fins heavily patterned like a male.

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[Brookster123]

Based on anal fin in first pic, I'm going against my better judgment (not agreeing w gillie and freak) male. My final answer

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[Gillie]

Based on anal fin in first pic, I'm going against my better judgment (not agreeing w gillie and freak) male. My final answer

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Female's dorsal and anal fins will also extend past the caudal penducle in cacatuoides


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[Gillie]

This one even has tale extensions

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[Brookster123]

With that pronounced of a flame pattern though??

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[Gillie]

With that pronounced of a flame pattern though??

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Yep check this one out

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[Iamtechno13]

Female.

 

[Iamtechno13]

First time I looked at it and every time since I see a female and a male. I have 16 double/triple and super reds I picked up at an auction last year and I have one female that looks almost identical to it and another with even more coloration in the dorsal fin.

 

[Brookster123]

Well if they make babies you guys are right.. if they go all game of thrones in there I get it with beginners luck

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[Freakgecko91]

My first instinct was male and female, and I'm gonna stick by that. The smaller one just doesn't look male to me if you take away the color on the fins

 

[NiaCas]

Sorry, guys. It absolutely will not stay still for even half a second for me to get a clearer picture than I've already posted. And all I've got to work with is a crappy droid razr camera lol. Thanks for trying! The smaller fish is about an inch, is yellowish and the markings aren't as colorful as the larger fish who's about an inch and a half and very color as shown in the first pic, so maybe the small fish is female. I guess I'll just have to wait and see if any babies show up Or, maybe in a few weeks the smaller fish will change and look more like a male. It does seem to want to keep hanging around the bigger one though. Wonder if that means something.