# help sexing cichlids



## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

Hi
I have 3 cichlids. Red Zebra, Ice Blue Zebra and a Giraffe Hap.
I was wondering if anyone could verify the sex.. I was told they were all female























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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

How big and how old is the Venustus? (Giraffe) It looks like a female now but may be too small to tell. Took my Venustus quite a long time to start showing blue coloring in his face. The others I am not sure, sorry.


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

Id say its about 2Ã‚Â½ the red zebra is about 2Ã‚Â½ and the blue zebra is 4-5 .. I just got the giraffe and red zebra on the 13th not sure how old. And the blue zebra was given to me because its aquarium was too small


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

At 2 1/2" that might be too young to tell. Every fish is different but mine didn't color up till 4+ inches


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

How quick will they grow? My red zebra and the giraffe love rosy reds. And hotdogs... the blue one may be holding.. all it dose is move gravel


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

Your feeding your fish hotdogs? You're asking for a case of bloat. And I would be careful with feeder fish. They can carry disease and contaminate/kill your fish.

With your fish, you should be feeding a quaility spirulina flake and supplementing with a quality pellet. I use Dainichi Color FX pellet.


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

They only got a little bit of dog. I just tried it because they wernt eating the pelets or flakes. So I tried the roseys and a little dog.. the pelets I have are in a clear jar with blue lid. Fish guy said they were best but the only one to eat them is the red zebra.... what else should I try?


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

My mbuna like frozen peas. I blanch them for about 15 seconds and remove the shell, cut them up into tiny pieces and serve. Also, read this article. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/f ... chlids.php If they aren't taking to the pellets, try not feeding them for a couple of days. (They will be fine) Then throw the pellets or flakes, they will be hungry enough to eat them. Also remember your fish should always look hungry and be running up to you when it's feeding time. If thats not happening you might be feeding too much.

And stay away from the hotdog. Last I checked there are no hotdogs in lake malawi.


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

Thanks a lot..


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

And what size tank is that? The Venustus gets very big in a hurry so you may have to find a new home for him as he grows. And most africans do best in ratios of 1m to 4 or more females unless you're shooting for an all male Hap/Peacock tank so judging by your 2 mbuna I'm guessing your not.


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

The three are in a standard 55g. I'm planning on buying a 200ish around july when I get a bigger place. That's why I want to get them sexed. I want to find a bright red peacock. So 4 fish only till I get the new tank

One more question.. why is it that my giraffe spots fade and get darker throughout the day?


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## rgr4475 (Mar 19, 2008)

The fading could be from a number of reasons. Mood, mating, change in water conditions etc... It's pretty normal for the most part.


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

I noticed today that it has a little bit of what looks like a blue/green on the lower. Part of its face


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

That makes him a boy! He'll be a very pretty fishy one day. He eats meat, but it's unsafe to feed fish that you didn't raise yourself because of disease. The other two can get really sick if they get much meat, but they will happily gobble it up anyway! Also, fat from warm blooded animals is another thing to avoid.

The Venustus is a a "hap", who mostly hunt for small cichlids in the wild. The other two are "mbuna", who pick algae off of rocks and on a lucky day, maybe a few invertebrates. That's why they'll take meat, but they aren't built to digest more than a small amount at a given time.


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

I decided to let the be for a few days and then see if they eat more. Will try the peas. Would it be ok to add a 3 inch black and blue zrock or any segustions on a bright red cichlid that would work.

Oh and will the Hap and Zebra mate.. if its male and female tank


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Anything will mate with anything, but they will usually much prefer their own species, if given the choice.

The z rock may be OK as they are a hap. Anything I can think of that's bright red is a peacock, and the mbuna will supposedly harass them to death. How about some bright red gravel, instead?


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

Lol there is pink and black gravel(not my choice) in the tank. My Gf wants a red cichlid since the giraffe I let her pick. Just didn't know what red cichlids there are that would work .. larger peacock the the zebras?


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## Chunkanese (Feb 4, 2011)

I keep peacocks with my mbuna and haps. Hasn't been a problem with any peacock. I would try a cherry red zebra though, they have great red color and stay an orange when they mature. Same as red zebra just more red color .


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## sl7rips (Apr 18, 2011)

Chunkanese said:


> I keep peacocks with my mbuna and haps. Hasn't been a problem with any peacock. I would try a cherry red zebra though, they have great red color and stay an orange when they mature. Same as red zebra just more red color .


Thanks.. now I just need to find one...lol


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