Cryptoheros Sajica gendering

[LunarValkyrie]

Hey folks, 

I have a question about gendering. I have some fairly young C. Sajica's that are coloring up nicely, but I still can't tell genders. 

 

Anyone on here keep these? Or have any secret to sexing them at a young age? I was told...Males tend to have red on the fins earlier and the females will be more blue-ish with a yellow tail. The sideways T they have as youngsters is deeper in the females and extends into the dorsal fin. Males also tend to outgrow the females pretty quick. Any other ideas??

 

These are my favorite cichlids and I really want to get a nice pair out of my group, but I first want to make sure I have both sexes. 

 

For anyone that has never seen these, here is a nice pix from Jeff Rapps site that shows a nice pair pretty much grown. I had a nice pair with a male that had a great hump on his head colored mostly like this. But he thought the floor looked more fun than the tank and leaped to his death through a very small hole near my HOB filter. Now I have a good group of youngsters now that I want to find his replacement. 

 

[Vpier]

Hey folks, 

I have a question about gendering. I have some fairly young C. Sajica's that are coloring up nicely, but I still can't tell genders. 

 

Anyone on here keep these? Or have any secret to sexing them at a young age? I was told...Males tend to have red on the fins earlier and the females will be more blue-ish with a yellow tail. The sideways T they have as youngsters is deeper in the females and extends into the dorsal fin. Males also tend to outgrow the females pretty quick. Any other ideas??

 

These are my favorite cichlids and I really want to get a nice pair out of my group, but I first want to make sure I have both sexes. 

 

For anyone that has never seen these, here is a nice pix from Jeff Rapps site that shows a nice pair pretty much grown. I had a nice pair with a male that had a great hump on his head colored mostly like this. But he thought the floor looked more fun than the tank and leaped to his death through a very small hole near my HOB filter. Now I have a good group of youngsters now that I want to find his replacement. 

 

You can sex them by looking right in front of the bottom fin (anal fin). You will see two vents. The female will have one vent much larger than the other and male vents will be same size. You will have take the fish out and hold it upside down. The bigger the cichlid the easier. I will keep them in the net hold them that way.