How Do You Find Out The Gender Of African Cichlids?

[pinkbaby10101]

is their a diffrence in the color or how they act or what they do?

Thanks

 

[Ripley]

It depends on what Africans you are talking about really. In general, males will tend to be more aggressive, larger in size, some have eggs spots on their anal fins ( but some females have them as well ).

 

[helterskelter]

ye not easy to say with out knowing what fish you have do u have apic of your set up at least.

 

[dthoffsett]

As helterskelter and ripley said, it really depends on what species you are keeping. Most of the mbuna (rock-dwelling cichlids of Lake Malawi) are monomorphic, where males and females look the same. Many of the hap species are dimorphic, where the males are very colorful and the females are rather drab.

I you do have mbuna, the most reliable way is to vent them (although even that can be confusing). Here's a link:
[URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/gender.php"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/gender.php[/URL]

 

[damianhucker]

all of the above is assuming you have malawis , you may have tangyinikan cichlids , either way its difficult to say unless u know what the fish are.

 

[dthoffsett]

all of the above is assuming you have malawis , you may have tangyinikan cichlids , either way its difficult to say

Good point, however, most people new to african cichlids have either mbuna or haps as they are more commonly sold in the lfs, tangs tend to be more of a specialty.