Need help sexing Dovii (vented w/pics)

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tjwalley83

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May 15, 2017
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20170513_110826.jpg
it's only 3-3.5" so I'm not sure if it's even big enough to tell by venting yet. but thought it'd be worth a shot
 

tjwalley83

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May 15, 2017
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last night i noticed a few very faint irridecent spots that have shown up under its eyes and cheeks too, if that helps at all?
 

Slickmullet

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May 27, 2017
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The bottom one is very skittish but a brute. Kills everything put with him except the "female" above.

Female is much more outgoing. Always swimming the tank.
 

Frank Castle

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Feb 9, 2017
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Would you say these are male or female?

View attachment 221594

View attachment 221595
how big are they?
the bottom one is male for sure. i would guess female on the top one
I tend to want to agree with that but until a Dovii reaches about 4" males and females pretty much look identical and venting is not particularly effective at that size since they aren't sexually mature. Beta-males of any cichlid species can "pass under the radar" when kept with another alpha-male by retaining female characteristics to avoid conflict
The bottom one is very skittish but a brute. Kills everything put with him except the "female" above.

Female is much more outgoing. Always swimming the tank.
This is pretty typical of the species however females will occasionally turn psychotic as well. The Dovii is probably the most aggressive cichlid on Earth and a VERY large tank is needed to quell their aggression or they will kill everything in sight. It would be in your best interest to keep a divider in the tank due to the fact that when it comes to cichlids when a male wants to spawn with a female that isn't ready he will often kill her, EVEN IF THEY HAVE ALREADY SPAWNED BEFORE.
 
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