Determining the sex of my convict cichlid

[Surly]

Honestly, I'm leaning towards it being a female, but I'm not entirely convinced yet.

[Surly]

Honestly, I'm leaning towards it being a female, but I'm not entirely convinced yet.

Also, her/his fins have this blueish/greenish glow under a light, doesn't really show up well in the pic though

[infold]

Convict cichlids are pretty straightforward to identify. Females have a red patch in their anal fin area - not a lot, just a small spot, but males never have it. Typically, females are smaller than males, but don't let that fool you - they've got a feisty side, especially if the male's not pulling his weight. Keep in mind, if you've got a pair, they'll likely spawn. Convicts are prolific breeders and great parents - they're one of the best species to observe when it comes to breeding and rearing young. Almost any male and female will pair up and get to work, usually with the female taking the lead. As soon as you see her digging a pit, you can bet you'll have fry in about a week. Just be warned - you'll have a hard time getting rid of all those young Convicts. Nobody seems too keen on taking them in. Still, Convict cichlids are a blast to watch and raise - they've got a personality that's hard to resist, a little rough around the edges but friendly.

[Surly]

Convict cichlids are pretty straightforward to identify. Females have a red patch in their anal fin area - not a lot, just a small spot, but males never have it. Typically, females are smaller than males, but don't let that fool you - they've got a feisty side, especially if the male's not pulling his weight. Keep in mind, if you've got a pair, they'll likely spawn. Convicts are prolific breeders and great parents - they're one of the best species to observe when it comes to breeding and rearing young. Almost any male and female will pair up and get to work, usually with the female taking the lead. As soon as you see her digging a pit, you can bet you'll have fry in about a week. Just be warned - you'll have a hard time getting rid of all those young Convicts. Nobody seems too keen on taking them in. Still, Convict cichlids are a blast to watch and raise - they've got a personality that's hard to resist, a little rough around the edges but friendly.

I've been looking into the orange belly thing, but honestly, I'm not sure if that's actually its belly or just its gut. The orange/reddish spots on its gill area are throwing me off too - I'm not sure if that's a female trait or not.

[coltin]

I'm not entirely convinced it's a convict cichlid, to be honest. What's with the water - is it actually cloudy or is that just the pic not doing it justice?

[infold]

You know, I've found that when you're trying to figure out the sex of a Convict cichlid, it's really helpful to see them side by side. I'd suggest taking a trip to your local aquarium shop or pet store and checking out a tank with a bunch of Convicts in it - you'll be able to see the differences pretty clearly. Then, head home and take a closer look at your fish. Since you mentioned you're not seeing any color on the belly, I'm guessing you might have a male on your hands. Do you have just the one fish, or are there others in the tank with it?

[sidthy]

I'm not entirely convinced it's a convict cichlid, to be honest. What's with the water - is it actually cloudy or is that just the pic not doing it justice?

I think it's been ages since they were classified as Cichlasoma. To be honest, I reckon this one's still too young to determine its sex with certainty.

[Surly]

I'm not entirely convinced it's a convict cichlid, to be honest. What's with the water - is it actually cloudy or is that just the pic not doing it justice?

I'm fairly certain it's a convict, don't really know what else it could be.

[Surly]

Convict cichlids are pretty straightforward to identify. Females have a red patch in their anal fin area - not a lot, just a small spot, but males never have it. Typically, females are smaller than males, but don't let that fool you - they've got a feisty side, especially if the male's not pulling his weight. Keep in mind, if you've got a pair, they'll likely spawn. Convicts are prolific breeders and great parents - they're one of the best species to observe when it comes to breeding and rearing young. Almost any male and female will pair up and get to work, usually with the female taking the lead. As soon as you see her digging a pit, you can bet you'll have fry in about a week. Just be warned - you'll have a hard time getting rid of all those young Convicts. Nobody seems too keen on taking them in. Still, Convict cichlids are a blast to watch and raise - they've got a personality that's hard to resist, a little rough around the edges but friendly.

I only have that one, yes.

[coltin]

Honestly, I'm leaning towards it being a female, but I'm not entirely convinced yet.

You might be looking at Cichlasoma spilurum, or possibly C. sajica, or it could even be a hybrid.