Help sexing cichlids?

[bennylax3]

I need some help on sexing a convict and jack dempsey.

The convict is a little over an inch. I would like to breed it. i assume it will only breed with like barred convicts. If they will breed with pink, calico or marbled please tell me.

The jack dempsey i dont plan on breeding but would like to know. he (lol) it is about 2.5". I asked for a male but i dont think the lfs really cared what i got. got it at when it was round 1.5".

Here is the link with pics
http://www.geocities.com/scotbenedict/pics.html

Thanks for any help,
Scott

 

[kooter]

I have a pair of black convicts. I studied up on them a bit and found that all females have orange-gold "specs" on their sides, (which looks like the pic you have). The males tend to be a little larger, duller in color and form a bump on his head. As for the JD, you would need someone else to tell you....sorry.
I have only had my pair of black convicts for 2 days and love them.
What else do you have in the tank with them? What size of tank? The convicts tend to be very nasty at times, especially when caring for the young.

 

[bennylax3]

Right now i have two tanks setup

20 gal
Jack demsepy
Zebra oscar
common pleco
red tail pleco

10 gal
convict
2 rubber lip plecos

I am getting a 75 gal to put all the fish from the 20 gal and move the convict into the 20 gal. i would like to put a convict pair in the 75. I am going to trade in the oscar and the common pleoc when they get to large.

 

[kooter]

sounds like a nice setup.......good luck.

 

[Una]

Your convict is definitely a female. The striped cons will breed quite happily with other colour strains. I have a pink female with a striped male with fry right now. The best way to get a pair of cons is to put one male with 3 females and let them pair up naturally, then remove the other 2 females from the tank. If you have breeding cons in a tank with other fish, pity the other fish. They are extremely nasty when they have young.