# ruby red peacock color and gender question



## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

i have a ruby red peacock and i was wondering if it was a male or female and if it was going to color up more... it has a light redish color around the head and is grey with black bars everywhere else... it had three or four egg spots on its anal fin and is about four inches long. i feed it correctly and water conditions are good.. any answers would be great..


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Without a picture, nearly impossible to say from your description.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

This is a picture of a ruby red mom and son. The young peacock wasn't coloring up because the dad was in the tank. As you can see, the young male has only a little more color than the female.









Here is another one of the young male.









Here is a picture of the dad


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo12 ... 280017.jpg

ok here a picture not the best quality ill try to get another one


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

its about 4 inches long


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## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

id say thats a male alright. You can clearly see the fin shape difference between the male the known female.


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/oo12 ... 0017-1.jpg

here is a much clearer picture


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

so is it hit or miss with these fish coloring up or is it all males ....


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

How long have you had the fish? If it is stressed or sick it won't be very colorful. If healthy and there are females in the tank and no other dominant male--it will get color if its going to get color.


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

i just got the fish today... showing no signs of bad health... possibly stressed from new enviroment.... i have no females of the same species in the tank and the only dominant male i have is a yellow lab and a flavescent peacock... thank you for your input.. any ideas?


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

would this male already be as colored as it could be..


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## rsuarez1982 (Sep 2, 2006)

This is the before and after of my male. His before was close to 4". That's the thing with some aulonocara; they can be REALLY ugly ducklings... Just give him some time.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... 7&start=15


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

> would this male already be as colored as it could be..


You can't tell how colorful it will be after just one day. Give the fish some time.


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## westbanksfinest (Nov 6, 2008)

your right. ok but one more thing... am i rolling the dice to make the colors come out without a female in there?? and thanks again for all the help.. and your fish turned out beautiful


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

With a female in the tank, the male will get his best color but it doesn't mean he won't get color without a female. I switched over to an all-male tank, my ruby red isn't quite as striking but he still has a lot of color.


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## rsuarez1982 (Sep 2, 2006)

Thanks for your comment. There were NO females in my tank at the time.


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