How to distinguish Hemichromis Lifalili sex?

[jhmp]

Hi all,

and sorry that I use English, but I think you understand me better this way.

I currently have 5 pieces of Hemicromis Lifali's and now when these fellows start to be ~10cm long I have started to wait that some pair forming, but no... There is definetly one who keeps itself as a king of the aquarium.

I have tried to find some differencies between fishes, different shapes/colors of fins, overall colouring, anal fins... I am just blind as a bat or are my all fishes same sex? How I can see who is she and who is he? I would galdly hear your comments.

Yours,
-Jani-

[Zaphi]

It is difficult to seperate the male and female, however the females tend to have a stronger orange/red colour on the sides and belly. Also, the males are slightly darker when they mate. Good luck!

[jhmp]

Ok. Tack för hjälp, men jag kan inte ännu skilja... []

Heh, back to English, it has been a several years when I last used Swedish. I can't see any specific color difference between fishes. Damn, do I really have had such a luck that all fishes are same sex!

But one more question. Have you noticed any differencies if you look different gender fishes heads? Especially forehead (=pann)? Because one, the Chief, seems to have clearly more steeper (=brant) forehead than rest four.

[ZakatH]

I once had a large dark male which paired with a little smaller and brighter female, loved that male, very beautyful. But mostly they all seem to look alike, no way to distinguish a male/female(unless you take a look at the genitals, wchich I never have). How large is your tank?

Edit: About the forehead theory, I think my 12cm dark male had a steeper forehead but I'm not sure if he did. He died almost two years ago so...

[jhmp]

Hi,

Well yes, Lifalilis are currently in 180l tank, which I am not proud at all. But to ease the pain, it was just last Friday, when I was asking around the pirces of ~250-350l tanks. BTW & F.Y.I.: prices were from 150e to 250e (1e=~10kr). My 1st plan was to sell or take back to shop 2 of these fishes after I could see which are males and which females, but now I find that this is a bit tricky task.