What Sex Are My Severums?

[kris1978]

i have just got hold of 2 severums but i am not sure the sex of them, one is larger then the other and one always chases the other if that helps, here is a few pics, i think the one with the stripe on is male but not 100% sure and i think the other is female but still not 100% sure, so please can someone help and tell me what sex you think they might be.
many thanks.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Your pics seem to fade into the background around the fin edges, but below is a quote from Dr. herbert axelrod's "handbook of tropical aquarium fishes....

"Male has longer, more pointed anal and dorsal fins and shows rows of brownish red dots on his body and in the fins"

 

[Mr. Convict]

I'd say the first one is the male, judging by Ludwig's post with the bars, and also you can see some eg spots on the anal fin, dunno if they are egg spots (dunno if they even get them) but i have no other name for them

Sexing severums is really hard until they spawn. So i could be totally wrong.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Well the first and second photo definitely male... (see the orangy spots on the anal fin just below the tail area) It's the 3rd & 4th which I cannot make out....

 

[Mr. Convict]

Oh i thought the first 2 pics were of the same fish, and the 3rd and 4th of another one (i thought he had 2 severums)

Yea first and second pic male

 

[kris1978]

Oh i thought the first 2 pics were of the same fish, and the 3rd and 4th of another one (i thought he had 2 severums)

Yea first and second pic male

yes the top 2 pics are the same fish and pics 3&4 are the other fish, so would you all say its a male and female?

 

[ox5477]

males have more prominent facial markings usually as well. Sevs dont really follow the pointy fin rationale as many other cichlids. The males fins will still be longer, but its harder to differentiate.

I would agree that the first is a male and the second a female

Ox