Male or female electric yellow?
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That's a taller order than I think you realize. Labs are EXTREMELY difficult to sex. Venting (which takes a well trained eye and a fairly mature fish) is the only way to tell other than watching a spawn or seeing a female holding. There are some very smart, experienced cichlid keepers in this forum, and I'm afraid none of them are going to be able to sex your fish from that pic.
Also, you may want to think about increasing your number beyond two. Yellow labs, like all mbuna, are harem breeders, not pairing fish.
Also, you may want to think about increasing your number beyond two. Yellow labs, like all mbuna, are harem breeders, not pairing fish.
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Yeah, there's no way to tell until they're quite mature and you know how to vent. Just get 6 and you're sure to get some fry.
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...judging "only" from the 1-picture .... I would say it appears to be a male from the darker back portion of the Dorsal Fin....but couldn't be certain of it....might very well be the opposite 8)
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You really want just one male and five females for a best mix. Or at least 4 males out numbered by females.
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That fish looks exactly like my females. My males have very black anal & pec. fins. I had a sub-dominant male look like that as well. I have had real nice females with black fins all around too. I only know what they are when they reach sexual maturity and spawn or how they behave around other mature Labs.
Ideally this is true, but labs are on the calm, peaceful end of the mbuna personality spectrum. M/F ratio is less critical with labs than with a lot of other species. Unless you wind up, by pure chance, with a ratio that is extremely male heavy, I don't think you'll have too much drama. Good luck.24Tropheus said:
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One of my labs looks exactly like this photo and she's successfully held twice, so . . . A girl! 
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As already stated, there are no visual traits that determine a male or female L. caeruleus. Body shape, colour, amount of black and various other physical characteristics can vary between both sexes.hollyfish2000 said:One of my labs looks exactly like this photo and she's successfully held twice, so . . . A girl!
Other than witnessing this fish holding, there is no way of knowing for sure whether this fish is a male or female unless you vent it.
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The only way to sex a yellow lab sucessfully is to vent them joea is right about the black part on the dorsal or anal fin.
Another way to sex fish in to look at the dorsal and anal fins if there pointed there males and if round females but i don't beleave that applys to yellow labs.
Its getting harder to even getting harder with ruby red peacocks because they have those females that look like the males i happen to have one in my tank and just the other day i found out he is a she and has eggs in her mouth.
Another way to sex fish in to look at the dorsal and anal fins if there pointed there males and if round females but i don't beleave that applys to yellow labs.
Its getting harder to even getting harder with ruby red peacocks because they have those females that look like the males i happen to have one in my tank and just the other day i found out he is a she and has eggs in her mouth.
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You.
Need.
To.
Vent.
Them.
End of thread.
Need.
To.
Vent.
Them.
End of thread.
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