# Yellow Lab - Sexing and Breeding Question?



## weldeng (Jul 20, 2008)

I have five 2 to 2 1/2" yellow labs and was wondering how to sex them and how large they need to be before they are viable for breeding in a 75 gal tank? Is the dominant fish usually the male?

Thanks


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## xalow (May 10, 2007)

The only way to sex them is to watch a female holding eggs or to check their vents. The dominant fish in my experience is the biggest one which isn't necessarily the male.

2 1/2" is big enough for them to breed, my first clutch of fry was from a 2" female which held 7.

Venting fish is when you look at their underside to tell whether they are male or female, there are some guides on the forums here along with pictures I'll see if can find a link and post that. However with smaller fish around the size of the ones yours are it can be more difficult.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

If you're wanting to breed yellow labs, I'd get more of them. One male to 3-4 females should make a nice breeding group. If you only have one female the male will probably be to hard on her. They are harem breeders and not pairing fish.


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

from my understanding the males have a dark band across the eyes.

My post on another thread...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... 66#1213666


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Riceburner said:


> from my understanding the males have a dark band across the eyes.
> 
> My post on another thread...
> http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... 66#1213666


The dark mark on the eye comes and goes with emotion and both sexes can show it. All my labs have it when they are quareling and I have 3 proven females. Infact my largest, most dominant lab (very black fins) is a female. She seems to have the black eye band almost all the time.


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

I stand corrected then. Though mine haven't changed which have the eye band. I'll keep looking.

This is the common thing I keep seeing online.


> Sexing:
> Adult dominant males are extremely easy to sex - They have Black Anal and Ventral Fins and a Black Dorsal Fin with a bright yellow top stripe, as they age they also develop more Black pigment leading to a jet black underside and Charcoal Stripes on its body, from the front they look as though they are wearing a Mask . They have Black Anal and Ventral Fins and a Black Dorsal Fin with a bright yellow top stripe, as they age they also develop more Black pigment leading to a jet black underside and Charcoal Stripes on its body, from the front they look as though they are wearing a Mask Sub dominant males are harder to sex in that whilst they will usually also have black Anal/Ventral fins the black pigment is far less pronounced leading to easy confusion between sub dominant Males and Females.
> 
> Female Yellow Labs are a paler/pastel version of the Males - They tend not to have any black Anal/Ventral fins these instead being a pale yellow, The Females tend to be much smaller than the Males although this difference is not obvious as Juveniles when all the Fish are the same size.


my adult male?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Nice looking fish.

I think a lot has to do with the fish's genes. I have had labs that were pale and with no black in the lower fins and were of both sexes, and had fish (from a different breeder) that were all just like your fish there. The yellow is affected too. Some have that nice golden yellow (like yours) and some are more highlighter yellow


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## Riceburner (Sep 3, 2008)

the adult is a deep almost orange yellow. The juvies are lemon yellow. I'm guessing different lines.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You also see the one inch per gallon rule online, in books, everywhere! Sometimes it helps to look at the dates when things were written. But the scariest thing is that even in current fish magazines I see really questionable facts presented by very famous authors! And forget about advice from most LFS.


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## Shawn71 (Apr 19, 2007)

I would agree venting is best the way to sex fish.Here is the best link on venting that I have ever found.It has helped me alot.http://www.malawimayhem.com/articles_venting.shtml.It shows the undersides of 6 males and 6 females.I think that you can get the hang of it.If you have a male I would get more female labs.I feel that the m/f ratio for labs is more important than what I have read.I had a bad mix of 6 that I think were 5m/1f.The larger male killed all but 1.In another tank I have a trio 1/m 2/f that produced hunderds of fry.Hope this helps.

Shawn


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

From what I was told from a very experienced breeder that pick wouldbe a male due to the broad black band on the dorsal and the black on the anal and pectoral fins.

Now from you guys are saying those markings can be on a female.... oh geeze I'll never know unless I do the venting (lack of experience on my end) or wait til I have some holding.

By the way nice pic and nice fish


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

Sometimes you can tell by pointed dorsal and anal fins - but the best way (as has been stated numerous times :lol is by venting.

As with all monomorphic species, sexing can be quite difficult. Even in dimorphic species it can be hard - sometimes females just like to take on the male coloration to keep others at a distance (or they aren't quite sure what sex they are :lol. Venting is *the* sure way to sex.

And DJRansome is very right - definitely check the dates on the articles. There is a lot of misleading information going on out there. Just think of all the bad information posted on the tags of the big chain fish stores.. :?


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

i heard from a friend at work that the black band on the eye meant it was a purebred fish. Not sure though. My dominent lab looks exactly like yours. Great looking fish


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## Joea (May 25, 2004)

BurgerKing said:


> i heard from a friend at work that the black band on the eye meant it was a purebred fish. Not sure though.


Simply... not accurate. All it means is that the fish has a black band on its eye. :wink:


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## myselfdotcom (Sep 19, 2006)

My juv lab..i suspect is a male lol


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