Whether you want to start a breeding colony or simply want to know what gender-specific name you want to give your fish, you're going to have to learn how to sex your fish.

There are many ways of finding out that don't require you to "vent" your fish. I will explain how to do this in this article but only as a last resort, when you absolutely have to know for sure.

Here is what you are going to be observing :

Size

In most african cichlids, the males will grow larger than the female cichlids. On the contrary, many Tanganyikan cichlids such as the Julidochromis will have a larger female.

When shopping for your fish, don't use this factor to sex the fish in the tank. The biggest fish is usually the one to be sold first. This means that the big fish you see now wasn't the biggest when the previous client shopped in that tank.

Colors

If your cichlids are dimorphic, meaning that the males and the females both have different colors, look at your fish. A quick google search can tell you which is which.

Most Malawi cichlids are dimorphic. For certain species, of Peacocks and Haps, the colors can appear later in life. As for Mbunas, the dimorphisms show up earlier in life.

Certain species of haps, such as the Protomelas taeniolatus Red Empress show their colors only around 2 years of age.

For monomorphic species, this means that the males and females sport the same colors, the distinction is a lot more subtle. You will have to use other techniques to sex them.

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Egg Spots

Most African cichlids have egg spots. These can either be subtle blotches or clear circles. Egg spots are used as a diversion method for predators. Certain species of synodontis catfish will try to eat the cichlid's eggs while the couple is breeding.  These predators will have their attention diverted to the egg spots and will give the parents a fighting chance.

In certain species, only the male will have egg spots. In others, both males and females will have them. Research pictures of the males and females to find out what kind of egg spots your species has.

Fin shape

With age, a fish's dorsal and anal fin shape will change. The male's shape will be elongated and the female's will be round. This does not apply to juvenile cichlids.

Certain species have square shapes for the males and females. The male's will be longer than the female's.

Most Malawi cichlids can be differentiated by this.

Body Shape

The two best examples for this factor are the Cyrtocara moorii and the Cyphotilapia gibberosa & frontosa.

On top of the males being a lot bigger than the females and having fins that go down to their tails, the males will also have prominent humps on their heads.

This method of sexing can only be applied later in a fish's life. If you're buying juvies, it's hard to tell for these two species.

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Behavior

Most of the previous methods can only be used once a fish reaches a certain age. When selecting your fish, if you absolutely want a male, observe the fish for a couple of minutes. If there is one that stands out because he is chasing the others, digging or defending a makeshift cave, that's your guy.

This technique doesn't work to find out which are females as they can also be dominated males.

Breeding

This is the most obvious one but I'm going to put it in here. If one of your fish gets pregnant, it's a sure fire sign that she's a female.
This is not a sure-fire way of finding a male, unless you saw them breeding.

Venting

Venting is the action of looking at your fish's genitals in order to sex them. Catch the fish in the net and keep in the water. Flip it over with your hands through the net and take him out of the water just enough to see the genitals.

The female's genitals show two holes, with one bigger than the other. The bigger hole is the egg tube, where the eggs come out. The other is her anus.

The male's genitals show two holes of the same size.

The pigmentation around the genitals is often different:
The skin around the female's genitals will be a lighter color while the skin around the male's genitals is usually darker.

Conclusion

It's important to note that, even though you have multiple methods to choose from, these are not fool-proof.

Mistakes can be made. Sometimes a female can be as colorful as a male, even though she shouldn't. Other times, a female may be mistaken for a male if she is a "late bloomer" and her genitals have not formed yet.

A male can also be mistaken for a female if he isn't colorful and underdeveloped.

Be patient and understanding if a mistake was made by your local fish store. Sometimes, even us experts can be surprised by a colorful female.

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