Convict cichlids - what sex are they?

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batsy

AC Members
Dec 28, 2011
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I have two striped convicts and one albino convict in a 40g tank with 2 female sajica. The two striped convicts have paired off and laid eggs but they both have orange on the bellies, one much more so than the other. I had assumed they were both female. Do male striped convicts ever have orange colouring on them? Also the albino convict who also has orange colouring on its belly appears to have taken a shine to one of the sajica and has also laid eggs - so I am wondering do male convicts ever have any of the colouring characteristic of females on them? Or do I have a tank of wishful females?
 

excuzzzeme

Stroke Survivor '05
You have a tankful of wishful females. It is common that in the absence of a male, a dominate female will fill the role. Hierarchies are very important in a fish world. The position will be filled by the most dominate male and so on down the line until there are no males left. It will then be established by the females. This is not true in all fish as in some, the female is the dominate leader.

Orange (or pink) identifies it as a female.
 
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