My Checkerboard Cichlid - Fish for the Planted Aquarium

Mcjudge · 10-14-2009, 01:30 PM

Finally got a decent picture of this guy wanted to show him off.

Large version here

Six · 10-14-2009, 04:23 PM

awww. he looks good! he have a lady friend?

gheitman · 10-14-2009, 04:40 PM

They're beautiful fish. I used to keep some but never could get them to breed. Maybe I just needed to play some Barry White music...

Gordon C. Snelling · 10-15-2009, 04:26 AM

They are nice little fish. They actually breed quite readily however getting them to raise the young is a different story.

Mcjudge · 10-15-2009, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Six

awww. he looks good! he have a lady friend?

No he doesn't in fact not really sure he is a he. How do you tell BTW?

At my LFS all of them looked the same.

Six · 10-16-2009, 04:18 AM

I dunno off the top of my head for these fish. I could make an educated guess if I saw his fins extended. male dwarf cichlids in general have more color and longer fins. They are usually larger as well.

gheitman · 10-16-2009, 04:21 AM

If I remember correctly the male has extended rays in his tail fin. The female has a more rounded fin. Check out the species profile at http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profile...ies.php?id=221.

Gordon C. Snelling · 10-17-2009, 05:22 AM

Aside from being larger the male does indeed get nicely flowing extensions on his caudal fin. As we speak my female is guarding fry. The male apparently does absolutely nothing in caring for the eggs or young.

tao · 10-24-2009, 02:03 PM

Yep, 'He' looks very much like a she.

ZID ZULANDER · 11-03-2009, 12:58 AM

I would have to agree that he is more than likely a she. Very nice fish. Hard to find as well.