Sexing Cichlids Pictures

[Lady Hobbs]

Sexing of cichlids often comes up. I posted these pictures a few months back but will post again as the question continues to come up.

Some cichlids you can tell the sex by just looking at them. Others you have to wait until you see their breeding tubes so here they are. These pics are actually blood parrots but the ID is the same for others regarding the breeding tubes.

Pictures were taken from TheBloodParrot.com forum and with their written permission, used here with their consent.

Female
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/carolo/My%20Fish/female.jpg


Male

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/carolo/My%20Fish/male.jpg

[jbeining75]

Nice post Hobbs.. This sticky will help out alot of cichlid owners...... Male longer breeding tube........ Hooray!!

[Tolley]

Nice Thread Hobbs!!!!
Nice Pics Blu!!!!

[Lady Hobbs]

As always, Blu-ray, your pictures are outstanding. I really have to give it to you on those tanks and fish, too. Your fish always look so happy and healthy and nicely colored and your tanks are always just spotless. Very good keeper of fish you are, indeed.

Great pictures and very informative for everyone to see the male is small and pointed and the female is larger, thicker and blunt. That should clear up all sexing questions on those bigger cichlids for sure.

Thanks a lot

[sailor]

Those pictures are fantastic Blu-ray:thumb: Thanks for sharing and posting these, it should answer a lot of peoples questions.

[dreadedluck]

That is amazing. How mature or what size typically do the fish need to be before you readily see the tubes? I have three green texas/texas hybrids (im convinced i was lied to about them being pure breed greenies) but they are only 2 and a half inches and still look like juveniles. Although a touch of subject, they are in a 90 gallon acrylic tank, that I have to try and sell, and if I do gain a pair of these cichlids, can I really keep them in a 40 or 50 gallon tank. I know it is not recommended, but i do not have space for anything bigger, and I would love to keep my tank but it just doesnt fit in a 9x9 bedroom, Im pathetic!

In sexing fish females are usually smaller and less aggressive? and males generally more beautiful, or am I mislead? I ask this cause of my tank situation.

Sorry for going off topic, and great pics!

[nanaglen2001]

Here a female FM

[canopus_star82]

thumbs2: You totally rock!

[UNCLE RUCKUS]

thanks for clearing up a thing or two:19:

[Northernguy]

Outstanding pics all!!!!!
I now see why the males have all the color,gods way of making up for such a small breeding tube.:19:

[nhtodd]

Very cool info was wondering that myself. My only other question would be when do cichlids become sexually mature thats my only other pondering?

[Lady Hobbs]

My firemouths floored me how early they started. My female couldn't have been much more than 3 inches long......like 3-4 months old......and she had a big pile of eggs.

It doesn't take them long at all and always way before you are set up for a ton of babies.

[Lady Hobbs]

Outstanding pics all!!!!!
I now see why the males have all the color,gods way of making up for such a small breeding tube.:19:

Tonight is my first time to saw this post and you will not believe how hard I am laughing right now!

Priceless!

[Brookfish]

Tonight is my first time to saw this post and you will not believe how hard I am laughing right now!

Priceless!

Yes that was a very astute observation NG.:hmm3grin2orange:
Great thread Lady H and fantastic pics everyone!!

[Deleted User]

Outstanding pics all!!!!!
I now see why the males have all the color,gods way of making up for such a small breeding tube.:19:

That comment is priceless NG.:hmm3grin2orange:

Great pics everyone. Explains a lot.

I am still working my way through all these primers.. They are so full of fantastic info. thumbs2:

[William]

That is amazing. How mature or what size typically do the fish need to be before you readily see the tubes? I have three green texas/texas hybrids (im convinced i was lied to about them being pure breed greenies) but they are only 2 and a half inches and still look like juveniles. Although a touch of subject, they are in a 90 gallon acrylic tank, that I have to try and sell, and if I do gain a pair of these cichlids, can I really keep them in a 40 or 50 gallon tank. I know it is not recommended, but i do not have space for anything bigger, and I would love to keep my tank but it just doesnt fit in a 9x9 bedroom, Im pathetic!

In sexing fish females are usually smaller and less aggressive? and males generally more beautiful, or am I mislead? I ask this cause of my tank situation.

Sorry for going off topic, and great pics!

You can usually tube them at young age. 1 inch gives you a good idea, two inch usually allow you to be quite sure (99%). Please not that the differences are less visable outside the breeding period.

[Lady Hobbs]

Blu_ray had some awesome pictures here no longer showing. We will get him to post them again, perhaps?

[Ocellatus]

Sure!

Female Parrot fish :

female's breeding tube is bigger, wider and rounder than male's. at breeding time it becomes even bigger.
male's is more pointed and narrower. ( male's photo in the first page )

both photos here are females, taken in different years from same 2 fish :

[Ocellatus]

Oscars are not easy to sex at all, even with comparing photos.
female's tube is way rounder and wider but In my experience usually it is not visible except in breeding time. but male's tube is often visible, specially in presence of other oscars.

I have a pair but its still confusing for me when I look at breeding tube of an oscar in non-breeding time.

Female Oscar :
( at breeding time )

[Ocellatus]

Male Oscar :
( in breeding and non-breeding time )

[Ocellatus]

Green Terrors

They are not hard to sex. females are usually darker than males, and have rounder bellies. theres sometimes a black spot on their face like that one on the middle of their body. male's may have it too but its not that clear.
males have more extended fins edge and usually more bright colors on the body.

breeding tube of females is totally rounder and bigger. male's is tiny and pointed backward.

[Lady Hobbs]

Thank you Blu-ray for reposting your photos. They're a great help in sexing the males from the females.

[Northernguy]

This is a great thread!You beat me too it Hobbs!:hmm3grin2orange:
I was going to dig it up today because of the breeding tube questions that are being asked today.thumbs2:

[kay7]

so hey how would you sex Jaguar cichlids? :)

[Lady Hobbs]

Males should be larger and more colored up but they will have the same breeding tubes displayed at spawning.

[Lady Hobbs]

These disappeared from first post.

Female

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/carolo/My%20Fish/female_zps81518084.jpg


Male

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v93/carolo/My%20Fish/male_zpscac2e94a.jpg

These are not my photo's to be clear. I got them from another forum and brought them here after being granted permission from the owner of these photo's to use them here.

[thomassmith]

Hi Everyone- I was hoping one of you could help me identify one of my 3 convict cichlids. I think I have 2 males and 1 female, although I asked ...

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[Law Dog]

You won't be able to sex as a juvenile.