# Why do people say it's so hard to sex peacocks?



## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

Went to the LFS today to pick up a new peacock and I was looking at a group of yellow regals about 3.5", all very bright yellow and all except 1 had the blue face. Anyways I asked the guy who worked there if he could tell if they were male or female and he said it's 50/50 their still young. I always thought that too young to sex was from fry to about 2" when they start gettin color? All these fish were 3"-4" and all bright. I thought all females stay brown? What do you guys have to say.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe they were hormoned?


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## kinesis (Aug 20, 2009)

Most LFS aren't going to be selling female peacocks because of lack of color. You'll be able to tell if they're females or not by that size unless they're hormoned.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

OP -- yes, you are correct. Any peacock showing color (even just a hint, say on the face) is a boy. It depends on the species as to what size they are when they first start showing color. Some haps, for example, mature late and may be fairly large before you can tell. If the fish are small i.e. less than 2" and they are fully colored up they are hormoned. Period. At that size, they should be showing only a hint of color. But at 3.5", I would expect a lot of color. So it's possible they are not hormoned. Given the odd advice you got from the LFS (not sure if they're females because at 3.5" they're young??????) I might suggest you shop elsewhere for cichlids (or go online or find a good hobbyist breeder.) Not sure if that helps . . .


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

I def will be calling in a few minutes to ask if they are hormoned. Ok let's say they are hormoned, after being in my tank will they color down?? I'll let you guys know what the shop says after I call.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Not to be negative, but I'm sure they will say NO, not hormoned. Whether or not that is true is another matter . . . Given that hormoning fish is considered unethical (it causes long-term damage and can reduce a fish's life span and general health), I can't imagine any LFS saying Yes.


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

Lol. They said not to their knowledge, it just funny because they are well known and respected store. So it's either the staff are idiots, or they are getting their fish from someone who uses hormones. Now my only question is can a female peacock have the "ability" to show color if she was hormoned?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes females will color up if hormoned and males will color up younger. Hormones are suspected of causing permanent damage to the fish...kind of like a human taking steroids.


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

That sucks. Will they color down now that they in my aquarium? Considering if they are female and on a regular diet?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes they will color down but may still be permanently damaged.


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

See now I'm a little nervous because I also got a German red from them also who never colored back up scince the ride home. Very pinkish and both have a more rounder shape and very pointy anal fins.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

SanDiegoCichlid619 said:


> See now I'm a little nervous because I also got a German red from them also who never colored back up scince the ride home. Very pinkish and both have a more rounder shape and very pointy anal fins.


pic?

I doubt he'd lose the color from hormones on just the ride home, it usually takes longer than that for them to wear off. At least to my knowledge. If he's very pink compared to a darker red it could just be poorly bred, or perhaps his color is dull due to other tank mates.

Pointy anal and dorsal fins = male though so if you were suspecting it be a hormoned female I don't think you have to worry about that.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I thought the hormones also impact the finnage? I've read that males develop adult finnage (bigger and pointier) at a younger age on hormones and it makes sense to me that the females finnage could take on male shapes. Like if you give them male hormones, they develop male colors and finnage...at least while taking the hormones.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

DJRansome said:


> I thought the hormones also impact the finnage? I've read that males develop adult finnage (bigger and pointier) at a younger age on hormones and it makes sense to me that the females finnage could take on male shapes. Like if you give them male hormones, they develop male colors and finnage...at least while taking the hormones.


didn't even think of that, certainly makes sense too. I guess he may have reason to worry after all


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

here the pics of both. i hope this works.


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

or not ill just post the links

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2148.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2150.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2156.jpg


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

Most fish change color on the ride home. Being stuck in a bag and then given a ride in a car then boom you arrive in a totally new environment with new fish around isa stressful experience for a fish.

I have afemale benga sunshine peacock that has a yellow hue over her whole body. I nknow for a fact she has never been hormoned and she has bred. but there is absolutley no blue on her.

I'd put my money on that the blue faced one is a sub-dom. male. I had a ngara flaemtail I added to a large tank of other peacocks including a much large flametail male and the younger ones color left in a few days and never came back. He is entirely brown but has good finnage and egg sposts. He doesn't get picked on at all. I know if the large guy gets removed he will chnge quickly.


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## tires_6792 (Mar 25, 2005)

Can you get another shot or 2 of the red one? whats the size of that one?


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

its about 3.5". its gotten a little darker scence i put the yellow guy in the tank. the german red was at the bottom of the pecking order. and now the yellow regal is and just hides all day because everyone chases him. but he hasent colored down. sry bad pics.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2180.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2179.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2174.jpg

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r109 ... 0_2172.jpg


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## SanDiegoCichlid619 (Jan 24, 2010)

so many fingerprints lol. need to clean that. thats crazy @gmaschke. see i never thought a female can have any color. mabey i should add more of the same species to my tank


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

Don't get me wrong shes not bright yellow. just a faint yellow hugh. She is easily picked out of the pack of other females


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## robmc13 (Oct 23, 2008)

Hi gmaschke, The Benga's I got from you are the same. I have a couple females that have that same yellow hugh in them. One is holding right now so I know she is a female and the other just spit a brood a few weeks ago.


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