How do i tell the difference

[Michelle150]

Hey all i was just wondering how do i tell the difference between male n female cichlids?
And how do i know if they are pregnant?
Here just a few photos of some of my fish

 

[Colin_T]

It depends on the species of cichlid. With African Rift Lake cichlids, males are usually bigger than females and more brightly coloured. Females tend to be silver for some species and different coloured for other species.

Female mouth brooding cichlids hold the eggs in a buccal pouch in their bottom jaw. This bulges out (downwards) when the female has eggs or young in her mouth.

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You should have some sand or gravel on the bottom of the tank to make the fish feel more secure. Dark coloured substrates will also improve the fish's colour.