# how to sex Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (Msuli) ???



## aaxxeell

hey guys just a quick question, 
today i bought 5 of the blue/yellowtail P.acei (msuli).
i cant get over how cool they look in a little mbuna-school cruising the tank  
:fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: :fish: 
they really dont hide at all! which is an unusual trait for an mbuna species.

i would love to hear a few tips on how to sex them...

*** heard theres a few indicators such as whitish dorsal fringe for males and yellow tail, whereas females are more uniformly yellow-orange on dorsal and tail...

any clues would be great :thumb:


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## DJRansome

You *know* the answer is going to be venting is the only reliable way to determine sex, LOL.

I had acei for 3 years and never knew which was which. I know I had both sexes because I found the occasional fry. I also never detected a holding female...I wonder if they are such big fish and the fry are so tiny that the bulge is not as obvious in Acei as other mbuna?


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## Floridagirl

I helped someone vent Acei yesterday. She had 5 ...all males, from what we could tell!!! What are the odds? My females are a little darker colored than the males. I have 2M, 2F. I found this out while venting them.


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## kevin3020

I have noticed that males have more blue on their dorsal fin.


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## aaxxeell

thanks for the input guys i really appreciate it...
any idea if theres a site where i can get some info/pics on venting my acei?


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## DJRansome

There is an article in the library.


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## TrashmanNYC

http://malawicichlids.com/mw09005e.htm


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## TrashmanNYC

http://malawicichlids.com/mw09005e.htm


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## pugwash

I have 6 in my tank, and I only really know which are female when they're holding (all only 3" atm).



aaxxeell said:


> ...whitish dorsal fringe for males and yellow tail...


 This appears true on my dominant male. Sub-dom(s) don't seem to express this.



Floridagirl said:


> ...My females are a little darker colored than the males...


 Certainly true on my 2 holding females.


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## khaki

I have also noticed that males get blue on their dorsal fins as well. Female tends to be smaller.


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## gherlevi

Without venting, the other way I've been able to ID the dominant male is simply by size, the whitish color development on the fin, and also the beginning appearance of an egg spot. The #2 dominant male in my tank is also getting an egg spot. The female that I've observed holding is slightly smaller and has purely yellow fins.

Love 'em! Great fish, looks unique, plays nice with others.


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## wheatbackdigger

I have five acei's. I only know the sex of one. She has held. She is the biggest, she has a single eggspot and she leads the rest around. So, Good Luck


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn

general advise for sexing without venting.

Look at the anal and dorsal fin, if their pointed their more likely to be male, females are more rounded.
males WILL grow a lot quicker than the females.
females are more streamlined, the males have a deeper body(this is quite pronounced on mine, will try and get some pics too show what i mean)
the males usually have black pelvic fins (not noticed this on my females)
and generally the females are a lighter blue than the males (obviously this is dependant on other factors)

I was able to sex my acei at 1.5-2"


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## aaxxeell

thanks to all of you for the great replies its helped alot


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## knotty dreadlocks

PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn said:


> general advise for sexing without venting.
> 
> Look at the anal and dorsal fin, if their pointed their more likely to be male, females are more rounded.
> males WILL grow a lot quicker than the females.
> females are more streamlined, the males have a deeper body(this is quite pronounced on mine, will try and get some pics too show what i mean)
> the males usually have black pelvic fins (not noticed this on my females)
> and generally the females are a lighter blue than the males (obviously this is dependant on other factors)
> 
> I was able to sex my acei at 1.5-2"


can you post pics and show the differences.


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn

will have to get to work on those. will have a go at it


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