Cichilds ;}
how do i sex cichilds and how do i tell when they are pregant or have eggs in their mouth
Answers:I would need the species you need sexed, there is no set rule really. GENERALLY speaking, the males are much more colorful then the females, but that also usually only applies to Africans that I've seen. It's just too hard to sit there and say well look at this or that without knowing what species you have. If you don't know the species, posting a pic will really help alot.
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JV
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I'm sorry I didn't clairfy here. Poster below is correct, but that's generally for Mbuna species. I have 18 Protomelas Steveni's which do not display that. There is a dimorphic color range for the males and females as well as a color variation on the anal fin. Mbuna yes, but that does not always indicate a clear difference in male and female as there are sometimes males that have the egg dots. It's a general idea, but my understanding the best way to sex unknown cichilds is to vent them, where you look at thier underside and compare the vent color and space and the anus. That's how I was told to do it.
um... when their bellies start swelling up perhaps? and its not like they burp the eggs into the mouth. you'll see their bellies swelling so u know they will have baibies
Are you talking about mouthbreeders? There are a few but most are egg layers.
The males have @ least 3 orange sponts on threir fin on their belly. and the females will pick the egss up after they lay them in the their mouth and will carry them their till they hatch and the bottom of the mouth will expande to make an even area on the bottom and then you need to move them to a seperator tank to have the babies. otherwise she will have them in the regular tank and the resk of the fish will eat them.
"African Cichlids" includes hundreds and hundreds of species that can differ in any way. They only way you can get a good answer is if you mention exactly what species you have. Sometimes it's very obvious and they're completely different colors. Sometimes it's impossible to tell with the human eye. Tips like egg spots are a good indication, but not fully reliable as males can have as few as one, or none at all for that matter.