What should I do?

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


jweb1369
 
Posts: 547
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am

What should I do?

by jweb1369

When I stocked my tank, I thought I bought 3 females yellow labs and 1 male. Well I was looking at them tonight with the tank light off and there are actually 3 males and 1 female.... Their colors must change, because I swear the black strip wasn't on them before. I'm really kinda pissed off.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

I feel sorry for the female...possibly you buy another 4 females (make sure each is a female)...outside of this, you're screwed (or the fish is, literally)


miami754
 
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am

by miami754

Which fin is the black stripe on? Despite popular belief, the females can have a black stripe on their top fin. Most of my females do have a stripe that looks like a male when they are young, but then fades as they age. The only reliable indicators I have seen are:

1) barbell through eye (even this is a little tricky when they are younger)
2) signs of aggression or shaking to entice a female
3) As they get older, the males do iindeed have much thicker black stripes and it is easy to tell. When they are young, the stripes can be relatively the same.


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

Jweb, if they don't have much black in their bottom fins its very possible they are females. Just because there is black on their dorsal does not mean they are males. I have 2 females that have very strong black in their dorsal fins.

Below are photos of my 2 females that have held for me.

The top one has held 4 times, she has a very big black dorsal stripe and also black in her pelvic and anal fins.
The bottom one is holding her 3rd batch, about to release any day now. She is a dark yellow, almost gold. She has a black stripe in her dorsal also, just not as large and a bit of black in her pectorals.

As long as they don't display or develop very dark pectorals and anal pins, also with some black in their faces, its highly possible they are female.

The last pic is a male me and Miami thought was a female. See how he is getting more black in the bottom fins and starting to show black in the face when the felmales are around? We thought it was a female, still not 100% its a male even.

Its just a wait and see :-) I can show you more pics, but these show what I mean the best. The only 100% sure way of knowing is if they hold.
13d6f-PICT0019.JPG
e35aa-PICT0013.JPG
fe594-PICT0044.JPG


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

Miami, These 2 female pics show that your #1 is not very reliable LOL They both have very strong barbells thu their eyes. :-)


BurgerKing7704
 
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:03 pm

by BurgerKing7704

The only way to be 100% is by venting, which is hard when they're small.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/gender.php

Good link


miami754
 
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:18 am

by miami754

Yeah #1 is not always reliable. As they reach their full size, it becomes easier and easier to tell (except subs can sometimes look like females. Your bottom one is definitely looking like a male Cathy. He has colored up nicely. Jweb, you can see the differences in the black markings on the males and females by looking at the pics. Just keep in mind that a sub male may not look very much like a male.

I personally do not like venting. It is the only way in some cases to be 100% sure, but there are numerous other ways to be 95% sure.


jweb1369
 
Posts: 547
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:55 am

by jweb1369

Thanks for the great help.

On further inspection I might actually have 3 females and 1 male. The male today exhibited really rich dark black pectoral and dorsal fins. Darker than any I have seen pictures of. Looks like his fins were just dipped in black ink. The others seem to have much less black on their dorsals, and very slight black on pectoral fins.


BurgerKing7704
 
Posts: 106
Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:03 pm

by BurgerKing7704

This isnt really directed to you jweb, as you have pretty much found your answer.

To people that have labs with poor coloration, it may not be because they're all females, it can also be poor breeding. The mother of your fish could have been over bred or somewhere in the gene pool there was a hybrid.

My female will flare every now and then just to tell big pappa she isnt in the mood, one tough cookie.


gumbii
 
Posts: 1695
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:31 am

by gumbii

on the noes BK... venting is the only way to know for sure...

What should I do?

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