Sexing Jewel Cichlids

[houghton6]

hi can any one tell me the best way to sex jewel cichlids? they are quite young only about a inch long any help appreciated thanks

 

[kribensis12]

There is really no reliable way to sex them yet. I would wait till they gain another half inch. By then, they should have paired off.

 

[houghton6]

i have about 25 of these some are around a inch and a half some a little smaller! and no sign of pairing off, what sort of behaviour should i be looking for?

 

[kribensis12]

When two of them start defending a part of the tank.

 

[Balloons&killies]

For jewel cichlids you want to look at the tail. if it all colorful and red with flecks of blue it a male.
if it only half the tail thats colorful it a female.

 

[kribensis12]

For jewel cichlids you want to look at the tail. if it all colorful and red with flecks of blue it a male.
if it only half the tail thats colorful it a female.

That is an very unrealiable method. When fish are stressed,they have different colors. When they are dominant they have different colors, when they are breeding they have different colors, so a half colored tail is probably not the best method of sexing jewels. Sexing fish like Jewels just takes experience. The females have a shorter body with a plump stomach, while the males do not. The females usually do not have pointed fins. The females are usually all around less colorful than males (there are exceptions). It just takes a trained eye.