# If you can sex a Jewel... PLEASE help!!!



## lmgentry (Apr 8, 2008)

If anyone is able to identify which variety /species these are or more importantly sex them, i would be forever in your debt! Any advice would be of great help. Thanks!


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *lmgentry*,

Nice looking Jewels you got there. They are an African cichlid, so while some people here may be able to sex them, you might have better luck in the appropriate forum.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

The smaller, redder jewel is a female. The other is a male. The 2 jewels apear, in the very least, to be different strains; possibly different species. The redder one lacks blue irridiophores and the other seams to have a lot, so they defiantely apear to be different "types" though I couldn't tell you if they are actually different species. Unless some one is able to distinguish them and identify them, I would consider them to be common aquarium strain, Hemichromis guttatus.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

The red one sort of looks like _H. cristatus_ except the yellow is along the bottom of the fish instead of down the middle. Not sure if that means it's a variant of cristatus though or of guttatus. Red jewelfish can be a pain to both sex and determine the species. I agree with bernie on the blue one being a guttatus male.


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

dwarfpike said:


> Red jewelfish can be a pain to both sex


Yes, they are not always easy to sex and are often called monomorphic, though they are most certainly not. They are only monomorphic to those who are unable to sex them.

To me, Imgentry's jewels are obvious examples of a male and female. I am 99.9% sure. Not only their apearance but the way they are together in the pictures.

Male and female jewels have different body and head shape, though it is somewhat difficult to describe. Of course it is much easier to sex a fish in person, then from a picture, but from Imgentry's pictures, IMO, their sex is obvious.

I purchased 6 jewels last year and am 6/6 in sexing them from young small fishes at the LFS. Though, I had picked them out, 2 last may, an obvious male and an obvious female, and another 4 in december, 2 obvious females and 2 obvious males. Now, if I had to sex ALL the young jewels in the entire tank at the LFS, many I would have no idea,no clue, especially at such a young age. But in comparison, most young juvie Central Americans, I would not have near the success rate in sexing at such a young age, other then possibly picking out one obvious male (sometimes).

I currently have 3 young jewels, that I have kept from one batch. They are 3 months old and have grown rediculously fast, and although they are much larger then jewels typically sold at the LFS, I am still not absolutely certain of their sex. I think it's 2 males and 1 female, but only time will tell for sure.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

I agree with the sexes in the pics ... perhaps I should amend ... they can be hard depending on race and size. The common color phase is easy enough to sex unless really small before the differances in headshape, fins or color appears. Plus at the store they are usually washed out. Once settled in at home and have some size on them, not a problem.

Those turquoise color strain is harder though, the females don't get the red and the male's head profile isn't the same as the common guttatus, so it's harder as the fins aren't always reliable. Lili's also the head shape isn't as prounced.

Plus not everyone has the same expeirence level with westies as we do bernie! *lol*


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