# male or female JD? HELP!



## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

Not sure how to tell the difference. I want to know if this is male or female?


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

I dont know how to add the pictures on my mobile phone.


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

If it has a 'beard' underneath it's jaw, aka blue sprangles there, lot's of them, definitely female. If there's absolutely nothing there, male.


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

Awesome man thank you looks like *** got a pair. Id post pictures but cant figure it out. Lol


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Try photobucket.com


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Here's a pic I pulled from Google (not my pic) for reference. Female is in the front, male in the rear...


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

Right on man thanks for the refrence. It looks like a have a pair now I just need to figure out how to stop her from picking on him lol


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Add target fish.  I like to add african cichlids, especially the smaller species. They provide competition of sorts, but there's next to no chance one of your JDs' pair up with them instead.


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

So you think if I add a few africans that she wont pick on him. I didnt think you could I thought they would just eat them lol.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

She might! But it's worth a shot. Give them something to pick on that's easier to catch.


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Well as long as they're large enough to not fit in the JDs' mouths, but not so large that they can actually outcompete the JDs. 

Plus if you get cheap ones, wouldn't matter if they become food/get killed.


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

Well thanks for the advice. I actually added a couple more dempseys and now it all seems to be fine.


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## dsouthworth (Sep 7, 2011)

How large is the tank? Adding more JD's might solve it for a few week. But I can guarantee that you will wake up one morning to a mass slaughter. Those are extremely aggressive fish. Be very careful with what you do.


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## simon m (Feb 19, 2013)

The male in pic has the oddesst shape head I have seen . And adding other jds will cteate probs for sure.


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

They are doing pretty well. Ill keep in mind what u said about only lasting a couple weeks. But what would you reccomend as tank mates?


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## simon m (Feb 19, 2013)

Jds are very good with other cichlids I have found, but! When they breed they will tolerete nothing and will drive all away from nest site and being in a tank the driven have no were to go . If your plan is to breed them have no cats or plec cos they will eat the eggs when lights go out. And only use dither fish as tank mates. No other cichlid will cope with sharing a tank with bteeding jds in my experience.


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

So convicts would work?


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Before making suggestions we really need to know what size tank they are in..?


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## mahoney206 (Feb 26, 2013)

80gallon


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

What are the dimensions? A lone convict could potentially work as a good target fish. You could also look into adding a group of dithers such as a larger growing Tetra (ie Buenos Aires or Colombians). Giant Danios could work as well..


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## simon m (Feb 19, 2013)

CjCichlid said:


> What are the dimensions? A lone convict could potentially work as a good target fish. You could also look into adding a group of dithers such as a larger growing Tetra (ie Buenos Aires or Colombians). Giant Danios could work as well..


i agree just one convict if you put a pair in you will be over run with con fry and they are very very protective and teritorial i have seen a 2" female con take on a 14" black piranha to protect her fry.


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## Jeffo2000 (Apr 4, 2013)

I may be wrong, but i think perhaps the male is in front and female in back. Males have pointed dorsal and anal fins. If so, that would mean the male is "picking" on the female. Jd males are notoriously rough with their mates, even accidentally causing them to swallow eggs by bumping into them.


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## simon m (Feb 19, 2013)

No mate male is at back its the colour in the bottom of gill plate you need to look for, females can have pointed fins to but rarely do males have colour in bottom of gill plate. :thumb:


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## simon m (Feb 19, 2013)

Also your female is probably trying to force mouth locking to test his strength.


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## Jeffo2000 (Apr 4, 2013)

Like i said, i could be wrong  learn something new everyday!


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