Now let’s look at some of the similarities they share. If you’re going to opt for venting to find out, make sure the fish is still in the water during the entire process. But, in reality, he’s just a late bloomer. Similarly, if the male fish in question is often dominated or has rounder dorsal fins, he could be mistaken for a female. If a female has more vibrant colors or doesn’t have well-developed genital, it’s easy to confuse her for a male. On top of that, these fish take around three years to mature – making it even more confusing. Answering if the red devil cichlid is a male or female can be quite tricky because they display minimal sexual dimorphism. So, as shown by the table, these are some of the most distinct differences. Male red devil cichlids are more temperamental and aggressive – often harassing fellow females and other tankmates.įemale red devil cichlids are more peaceful and docile than their male counterparts. The male red devil cichlid has more pointed anal, dorsal and pelvic fins.Ī female red devil cichlid will have blunter anal, dorsal, and pelvic fins. The male red devil cichlid’s ‘tube’ generally points straight and downward.įemale red devil cichlid’s egg tube points backward. Vent in female red devil cichlids is comparatively bigger than the anus. The vent in male red cichlids is usually the same size as the anus. The nuchal hump is missing in female cichlids.Ī male red devil cichlid has protruding gender papillae, which facilitates the deposition of sperm.Ī female red devil cichlid has a broad and flattened papillae/ovipositor that helps in egg-laying. Male red devil cichlids have a prominent nuchal hump, a raised feature on the forehead. Likewise, a male’s gender papillae are also more protruding to facilitate sperm deposition, while females have broader papillae.Ī male red devil cichlid is always larger – growing to 15 inches in size.Ī female red devil cichlid is comparatively smaller – growing to 10-12 inches. They also have a prominent nuchal hump that’s missing in females. Male red devil cichlids are bigger by a few inches than their female counterparts. Top 8 Differences Between A Male And Female Red Devil Cichlids
So, I decided to write this blog with all the information I accumulated. Finally, after digging through dozens of forums and comparing answers by seasoned aquarists, we concluded that the fish in question was actually a female. We looked up on the internet, even scholarly journals, but the information was scarce and scattered.
And once he brought home the fish, we had serious doubts if the supposed male cichlid was indeed a male! Image credits: paul z on Flickr under Creative Commons licenseĪ friend of mine, a fellow fishkeeper, recently got a pair of red devil cichlids for breeding.