# Are my cichlid male or female



## Fever fishin (Aug 27, 2017)

So I have a few different cichlids curious on sex of these fish I think most of them are male but need other opinions if needed I can try to get better pick's


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Well, the Texas cichlid is very likely male. Lack of a dorsal spot is a reliable indicator for it being male.
IMO, the Green terror is very likely female. The white vertical marks on the sides of the mid lateral spot, the body shape, lack of coloration on the fins as well as a thin fin trim all indicate female.
It's my understanding that blue color on OB peacocks is usually an indication of it being male (?).Though i am really not sure of that. These are hybrid fish and the OB gene actually originates from mbuna.
The firemouth, I have no idea. The're difficult to sex at a young age, and even more so from pictures. Large mature fish, when you have male beside female sometimes it's obvious, but younger fish I don't know of any reliable method. Sometimes a dominant young male is obvious by it's shape, size and color, but in general, there not easy to sex, at all.
Young EBJD, not easy to sex. Large mature fish will have a different shape as the males are larger in the head, but young fish, no way that i know of. Regular JD can be sexed by their gill plate markings, but EBJD cannot be sexed this way.


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## Fever fishin (Aug 27, 2017)

Thank you I really appreciate the help on the firemouth I think is male it you look at the top fin it's just a bit more of a point then the others fin buy the ebjd I have no clue I'll try to get better picture of fire mouths to show fin a bit more


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Fever fishin said:


> the firemouth I think is male it you look at the top fin it's just a bit more of a point then the others fin buy the ebjd I have no clue I'll try to get better picture of fire mouths to show fin a bit more


It could be a male, I couldn't say for sure either way. But I certainly wouldn't rely on how long or pointed the dorsal fin is to sex them. 
The whole idea of sexing many cichlids by their finnage goes way back to earlier days in the hobby. More myth then reality. In a tank full of young juvies, a few males will be more developed and stand out. A few can be picked out, because amongst other things, their fins are more developed. But beyond identifying a few males at a very early stage of development, it's not reliable to sex this way.
As they mature, both males and females can have long pointed fins. Sometimes they get bitten off and usually don't grow back as long. And if one is male with long pointed fins......that doesn't make the other female because it has shorter fins.
Post the pics, it may or may not give some indication better then a random guess.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

BC, regarding the pointed fins, are you talking about the Fire Mouth? Or all cichlids including the peacock?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> BC, regarding the pointed fins, are you talking about the Fire Mouth? Or all cichlids including the peacock?


No, specifically the firemouths and in a more general sense CA cichlids (as well as a few SA cichlids ) that are often claimed to be able to be sexed by their fins.
Never heard much, if anything, about sexing any malawi cichlids this way.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Of course venting is best, and colors help with many Africans. But males do seem to have the pointed dorsal fins, and females more truncated or rounded. This is fairly common advice for sexing haps and peacocks especially.


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## Fever fishin (Aug 27, 2017)

Here are a few extra pics of them maybe this could help


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

I use the longer fin idea on lots of fish and it can give some good idea, but mostly, I just wait and see for sure. I think of it as an indication but just as we see in people, appearance can be misleading so I don't put a lot of weight on the answer it gives me.


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