# Red empress colouring?



## gimmick_art (Feb 4, 2009)

Hihi,
I was just wondering at what age/size red empress tend to get their colours - I don't know if mine's a female, or just still a juvie male... 
I haven't been able to find the info - please excuse me if it's something really obvious, or somewhere really obvious...


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

It will also depend on what he/she is in the tank with. I have a 6 inch male (was colored up in another tank) that is drabbed back out to female coloration in my all male tank due to some larger more dominant species being present.

I have seen them in full color at 4 inches in a species tank.


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## cater20155 (Jun 16, 2008)

How big is the fish in question?


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## gimmick_art (Feb 4, 2009)

He/She is about 9-10cm ... erm, ~4 inches. It's in a far-too-small tank for the mo' and killed off the other red empress I bought with it, and has a 15cm/6" pleco for company - LFS said it would be fine if I planned on getting a bigger tank in about 6 months (was given current one) and will have 125 (probably) gallons in about 3-6months.


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## cater20155 (Jun 16, 2008)

At that size, it should be showing some blue flash to its face if its a male. Are there any other fish in the tank with it?


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## crys (Jan 12, 2006)

cater20155 said:


> At that size, it should be showing some blue flash to its face if its a male. Are there any other fish in the tank with it?


yes and no..i would say

i have 2 of them in a tank...one of them, a little bit smaller, around 8 cm is full coloured ..for a long period of time , the other look like a true female..no blue or red colour on him...but now, the situation is changed..unfortunately, i was too blind to see that i have for the first time 2 males of Red Empress :lol: ..the fake female is now a beautiful 10 cm long male ...the change is almost amazing..

so...the colouring up of the most Haps is a problem ..depends on many factors..


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

this is my 4"









and back in April...


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## cater20155 (Jun 16, 2008)

What size tank is the fish in and are there any other cichlids in the tank with it. If its alone, with good water condition, it should be showing male coloring by 4 inches, at least the blue flash on its head. If there are other fish in the tank it could be subdominant and repressing its coloring, but it still should have some blue in the face. If you can, post a picture of it.


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## gimmick_art (Feb 4, 2009)

I have seen one or two blue scales, but I wasn't sure. Will post some pictures when I can later tonight. It's in a ten gallon (60L), pretty much alone, except for a lazy plecostomus. Like I said tho, this is only going to be for a couple of months...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The small size of the tank may be stressing the fish out as well to the point he is supressing all color. A couple of months is a long time...what can you do to move up the schedule?


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## gimmick_art (Feb 4, 2009)

Uhm... I can clean the house really well and beg Mom, and _might_ be able to to save up enough to afford a secondhand tank (if I can find one  )
My parents just split, so our household is sort of relying on my income more than usual...


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## braindead (Jan 9, 2009)

i know how you feel im 15 and its a nightmare trying to get a new tanks or even new fish but i guess even harder if you are trying to keep costs down. 
4 tanks later my parents wont let me have anymore _yet_ :wink:


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## bartho14 (Feb 26, 2009)

I think whats best for you and your fish given your situation is to perhaps return or trade in the empress/pleco for a few smaller cichlid's who'd be much happier/healthier in your tank. You'd probably get a few nice ones in exchange for the empress/pleco, just a thought.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

That's what I was thinking...or maybe just sell them and save up for the 3-6 months and then start over.

In a 10G the only africans I'd try would be shellies.


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## PiePuncher (Feb 1, 2005)

Some red empress will not show color until they are fairly large, around four inches + or so. I have also seen them fully dressed at 2 1/2 - 3 inches too. Just depends on the fish. This is a little dude in a 200 gallon community tank and he is showing mad color at 3 inches.


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## gimmick_art (Feb 4, 2009)

Thanks guys! I know it would probably be best to see about swapping my fish - when I was given the tank and pleco I planned on swapping it out for another/some more fish, but I got attached to the ugly thing... And after a couple of months my red empress asks for food when it's hungry - I can walk past it 20 times and every once and a while it'll swim to the top and poke its head out, so I drop in a tiny pinch of flakes and it eats it and goes on. I really, really like my fish. 
I'm trying to justify the spending to Mom, but I think that if I can make it to tax time (should be next month) I reckon I can have enough for a new tank and not be too hard on our budget.

(P.S. Anyone in Cairns Australia lookin to offload a tank 75-125 Gallons, PM me! :thumb: )


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Caution...Africans ask for food when they are not hungry as well. Feed once/day and only what they can eat in 30 seconds.

No sense overfeeding and having your empress grow larger than she should (and this is possible).


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