I guess another way to ask this is " Can females also have egg spots ?" For example I have a pair of M. Auratus one which I know is male one I am not sure. It seems to have a single elongated egg spot , but has the characteristic coloring of a female. Is there any way I can tell for sure ? I know males will sometimes hide their true gender.
You can see pics at http://www.bridgewatertaekwondo.com/Aquarium.html
Any answers will be appreciated , and I will give 10 points to the best answer by tomorrow.
2007-01-23 02:45:05 · 5 answers · asked by Vincent W 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
No, males usually always have egg spotts, but females can have them too. I have a number of Pseudotropheus red zebra females with eggs spots.
If a male cichlid is very agressive and super-dominant, any other young male in the tank can and will take on the coloration of the female of the species to avoid being attacked and killed. They will co-exist until the dominant male dies or is removed and then they will color up and sort out who will be the next dominant male.
Usually mature females are smaller, but heavier bodied, than the males. Look at them from above, the male will be sleek and slim, the female, stocky.
Another way is the nucchal hump on the forehead. Females do not have any sort of bump, where even the subdominant males will show a small hump and a more steeply sloping forehead than the females. Judging from the pics (very nice, BTW) I would say you have a pair. The female is definitely "stocky." Or else, well fed.
2007-01-23 06:34:02 · answer #1 · answered by 8 In the corner 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In African cichlids typically yes, but females can have reduced egg spots. So, I'd judge it based not only on the presence of the egg spots, but also by the prominence and number of them. If there's a bunch of them on a mature looking individual, probably a male. If there only seems to be a couple pale ones, could be a female.
2007-01-23 02:58:12 · answer #2 · answered by Celok 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Egg spots aren't really an indicator of gender, since both can have them and both can have few or many. Here's a pic of my female red zebra (mouthbrooding fry) and she has a bunch of egg spots:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a259/y2kenny19/African%20Cichlids2/reddaughter.jpg
Fortunately there are other ways to determine gender other than going by color and egg spots.
Hard to tell from your pic, but compare the fins of your two auratus. Male mbuna typically have pointed fin ends (compared to the more rounded fin tips which females have). Males also have larger pelvic fins (the two fins underneath the fish).
2007-01-23 19:14:03 · answer #3 · answered by Kay B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
properly it particularly relies upon on what varieties of fish your talking approximately in the experience that your talking stay bearers like guppies and mollies then this is the female whilst she is with youthful in her and not in any respect the male with thease the egg spot is on the tummy with cichlids a large style of them have spots on their anal fins that are reported as egg spots additionally yet they have no longer something to do with climate or no longer they are with toddlers and the two the male and girls individuals can and can have the spots in maximum situations
2016-11-01 02:07:21 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes females can have egg spots. Typically males will have more and larger egg spots than the females.
Additionally some males will not have very pronounced egg spots. It's all very confusing isn't it. :-)
From the picture I saw you definitely have a male and a female.
2007-01-23 11:54:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋