# Red Devil cichlids sex deterimination



## Helikaon (Jan 28, 2012)

Is there anyone out there that could tell me what sex my red devil is, i the guys at the aquarium sold it to me as female, but i am beginning to think it is a male. Plus i just bought a male for her and although i know they can get rough with the girls they went at it pretty full on. notice the fin and scale damage.
















thanks for your time

cheers
gary


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## jinjajoe (Jan 28, 2012)

PM sent copying in a fish guy I know........


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## Pinoy (Jan 28, 2012)

Judging by the organ coming out it looks like a male.

males generally have a smaller pointed organ while females have a thicker more rounded one, for pushing out eggs. 

Here's a pic that will also help vent him properly and compare.






The one on the left is the female. She has one larger spot while the male has two small spots.

Hope that helps.


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## leamos (Jan 28, 2012)

In my humble opinion I would say it is a female, I thought that if the egg tube points backwards its female, the males 'tube' generally points straight down but I've been out of breeding cichlids for many many years so take it with a grain of salt


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## cools2036 (Jan 28, 2012)

leamos said:


> In my humble opinion I would say it is a female, it has a large vent and the egg tube turns backwards the males 'tube' generally points straight down but without having a known male to compare it to its hard



I agree, i used to breed alot of cichlid species also the devils and i have to say the colour, shape, hump and the gland all indicate female.
looks like it may be holding too or just bloated...this could be the reason the gland is sticking out.

hope this helps


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## Helikaon (Jan 28, 2012)

Yeah the only thing that confuses me is that the males vent and gland looks the same. i also have never noticed her lay eggs but i must admit it could definitely escape my notice. She doesnt always have that bloated look, i assumed its because we gave her a huge feed this morning. Either way do you know how long it will take for them to settle down if it is a female?


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## cools2036 (Jan 29, 2012)

Helikaon said:


> Yeah the only thing that confuses me is that the males vent and gland looks the same. i also have never noticed her lay eggs but i must admit it could definitely escape my notice. She doesnt always have that bloated look, i assumed its because we gave her a huge feed this morning. Either way do you know how long it will take for them to settle down if it is a female?



You'll usually see them pair within a couple week. They will pick a spot usually I the corner of the tank or next to an ornament, she will push aside the gravel to make a ditch to lay in, this will be their nest. You need to make sure the substrate is fine enough for them to do it(about 3-5mm) they will stay close to this nesting area constantly circling each other. Warding off any stray fish .
Should only be a week or so after this. They don't tend to eat their young so you'll see them surrounding the parents if you've missed the eggs.


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## PythonLegs (Jan 29, 2012)

Extended finnage would suggest male, and it looks like the beginning of a neuchal hump. 80% male. What pet store did you go to?


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## Chris_Hall (Jan 29, 2012)

my vote is male, i have some experience with fish. phoned a friend also who has 40 odd 6ft plus tanks and only american cichlids his vote was also male. perhaps go to qldaf (a popular fish forum) and ask there also.


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## Bel03 (Jan 29, 2012)

PythonLegs said:


> beginning of a neuchal hump.



Although i honestly hate red devils.....we still have them thanks to hubby, & i agree with the quote above.......looks like a male to me.


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## Helikaon (Jan 29, 2012)

the hump isnt much compared to the male though, and it is older then the new male i have. i got it as an adult and it hasnt grown much since then about 2 yrs.


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## PythonLegs (Jan 29, 2012)

The big boy will be the dominant one, so the other one will have less developed hump and colouring.


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## Helikaon (Jan 29, 2012)

literally introduced them yesterday for 30 mins, before that i only had the female looking one kept alone


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## raycam01_au (Jan 29, 2012)

u crazy kids


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## Helikaon (Jan 29, 2012)

SHe has always been a cranky cow, i guess she might just be a bugger of a female. might try them with a barrier for a little while see what they do


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## Bel03 (Jan 30, 2012)

Dividing our tank was the only way we could get ours to breed. I am still quite certain that fish is a female, the last pic with them both makes me at least 99% sure.....our females 'hump' is about the same size, IF i can be bothered going near them today i will take a pic for you to compare for yourself.......as i said above, i dont like them, i dont even like to look at them, they are retarded!

I would let you have our's if hubby wouldnt kill me! :lol:


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## Helikaon (Jan 30, 2012)

hi bel, did they settle once the barrier had been in their a while. they were mouth locking and just circling eachother biting fins. nasty creatures.


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## Bel03 (Jan 30, 2012)

We havent removed the barrier, they tear each other to shreds whenever we try, our male has killed 2 other females in the 4yrs we have had him, as i siad, STUPID fish!!  This time around he hasnt been given the chance to hurt her & we have just got our 5th batch of babies from them.


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## Helikaon (Jan 30, 2012)

How does he fertilise the eggs with the bairrier though


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## Bel03 (Jan 30, 2012)

To be honest, i havent watched them, i keep missing it, but she lays the eggs on a large rock at the divider & they hatch & we have swimmers!

I just thought i should add, we use egg crate as the barrier, the large holes in the crate obviously allow his 'release' to reach the eggs.


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## Helikaon (Jan 30, 2012)

hmm i see well i might have to find one of these a new home i think. the male has been known to live peacefully with other cichlids might start a cichlid tank with him.


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## Bel03 (Jan 30, 2012)

Lucky u......i wish i could re-home ours!  Maybe if i ever want to be single again.....


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