# Help sex longfin german blue rams



## ilovecichlid (May 2, 2008)

Hello, I recently purchased a group of 8 longfin german blue rams from my LFS. All fish are adults, about 2.5-3 inches including the long tail. I was told by the LFS owner that there should be both males and females in the group. However, after 2 weeks of settle done, when I tried to sex them using the same criteria people sexing regular german blue rams, it turned out that all 8 fish are females  :-? :x

I don't think the criteria people sexing regular GBR will also work well on longfin GBR. All the longfin rams look pretty nice, but a bit different as the regular rams. I guess the longfin ones have gone through more rounds of breeding/selection so they maintain their longfins but lost some of the original coloration patterns.

So please help!!! Is anyone here has experience sexing adult longfin german blue rams? I tried to take a few pics but couldn't get a nice shot. They are just too shy. So I copied a couple pics online from the threads selling longfin german blue rams. My fish are exactly the same as the ones shown in the pics. Please suggest how to sex my longfin rams! Any input would be highly appreciated! thanks in advance!


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

The fish in the photos are all male, so I think you might have to reconsider your sexing methods. Females will usually have a red belly, and in well fed fish it will be more rounded.

And please, stop calling them German. They are not, nor do they show any characteristics of, the German strain of _Microgeophagus ramirezi_. That line has very heavy, dark black markings on the body and in the fins. The use of "German Blue Ram" is a misleading marketing effort on the part of those selling the likely-to-get-sick Asian bred fish by making people believe they are, or have been bred with, the German strain, which is extremely hardy and easily kept. They have no German strain blood in them at all. Yes, it is false advertising, but they get away with it.


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## ilovecichlid (May 2, 2008)

Thanks a lot, Chromedome! I appreciate your help!


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