How To Sex Balloon Rams?

[Jebbwardo]

I bought 1 baloon ram today from he per store today and would like to know the sex as I am going back today to get another but a diffrent sex I have a picture could you tell me what sex this one is? I can provide more pictures if needed.

 

[the_lock_man]

I'm not a huge cichlid expert, but males have longer and more pointed dorsal fins. I can't see the fin clearly enough in that photo to even hazard a guess.

 

[Jebbwardo]

I will try get better pictures

 

[fluttermoth]

That doesn't look like a balloon ram to me; it looks like a long finned one 

 
I wouldn't like to say what sex it is from those pics.

 

[Jebbwardo]

I'll get Better pictures when I'm home gonna go the pet shop and ask them too as they have a few more want to try and breed them.

 

[hobby5]

Its a male. Female would have redish belly.

 

[Jebbwardo]

Here's another picture and I have bought a new one I will put pictures up when it stops hideout to see if I will be able to breed these

 

[Jebbwardo]

Here's a picture of my other one hoping there diffrent sex's. I have noticed a few differences the new one I got has more bolder markings on his body and his dorsal fin doesn't flail off at the back the spikes are also more bold and it seems more bulkier and bigger than the other don't know if it's to do with age but the one that's smaller has a larger dorsal fin so I think I might have a female and male. Will try my best to get a better picture it goes and hides as soon as I try take a picture the other isn't so shy.

There one at the back on top of the rock is the one of all the pictures I have already put up.


Male and female? Or male and male? Or female and female?

 

[Jebbwardo]

Are these both male? Both female? Or male and female? It's impossible to tell I've looked all over the internet and no one seems to know how to sex them. I got sold these as ballon rams from pet shop.

 

[dave840f1]

Photos a bit blurred but I would say both females if adult but if juvenile unable to sex till dorsal fin rays grow in the male as they mature.

 

[Jebbwardo]

One has a lot bolder and large dorsal fins they where fighting before locking lips so thinking there both same sex.

 

[fluttermoth]

Lip locking can also be a prelude to mating though; fish like to choose strong partners, so courting can be quite aggressive.
 
Going by the pectoral fins (females have black on the front edge, males don't) I'd say you have a pair, but I couldn't be 100% sure. Rams are notoriously hard to sex.
 
And I really don't think they're balloon rams; they look like long fins.

 

[Jebbwardo]

One is slight lighter in colour than the other the other one has bolder lines and bolder dorsal fin witch is bigger at the back it flails out a bit and spikes look bigger too. I think I mite have a pair but not sure I'll just have to keep observing them. And I was sold them as ballon rams are balloon rams less common than long tail rams?

 

[fluttermoth]

I honestly have no idea whether balloon rams are less common than long fins; I avoid both varieties, personally.

 

[Jebbwardo]

Why would you avoid them? There very nice looking and have a funny personalities.