When I originally purchased this female it was in a tank with a bunch of it's siblings and I remember at the time it had spotting on the gill cover but not blotching. I really liked the condition of the fish and body shape compared to it's sibs and took a chance that it would be a female as that is what I was looking for. I bought it when it was ~2" and it looked very much like the one in the picture from the OP. As it grew it has developed more and more spotting and some of the spotting has turned into blotching but not near as much as most females I have seen or owned.
Here is the female when smaller - she was around 4" and had just spawned - you can see the eggs on the far left flower pot if you look close enough.
Here she is today at around 8" - she has lots more spots than she did when younger
Here is the male I have - spotting yes, lower gill cover no.
My point is that the fish in question here by the OP was pretty small and they can change alot as they grow. There is also alot of variability between fish and it is too early to say certainly that this fish is a male. It could be a male and it could be a female. I am not saying for certain it is a female, just that it is possible.
I am curious why Riceburner believes fish in the pictures with the spots on the gill cover is a male. Has it spawned or is it a subdominant fish in the tank. I look at that picture and immediately thought female. The proof is in the pudding - when it spawns you will know. I would like to know what it turns out to be as I could be wrong and I would like to learn.