# Sexing Zebra Cichlids



## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

MY zebras are starting to mature and are getting egg spots now so Im trying ti figure out who is who.. LOL I have read alot of conflciting information online and havent really been able to tell yet. I also found several different scientific names and all refer to "red zebra"  i.e psuedotropheus zebra, Lobochilotes labiatus, and there was one other name but I cant find it now.. 

Can anyone here help clear this up??


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

ok, I finally found a picture of the Lobochilotes labiatus and thats definately NOT what I have.;. LOL


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## adieu (Jan 26, 2006)

I bet you probably have Metriaclima estherae. They are very common and are sold as "Red Zebra." Although, they're often more of an orange color. 

Check out this link: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1729

The Cichlid-forum is a great resource.


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

The only sure fire way(for myself http://www.fishforums.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif
) is to just wait until she is holding. I've read something about being able to take the fish by hand flip them over and check out their underside. I think its called venting but I may be wrong. someone who breeds will know. I do know that you cannot go by eggspots. I have a OB female that has eggspots.

Hey what do you know, I was right. Stand back!! Head beginning to swell!!! LOL

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/gender.php


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

Here is a picture of them - the best I can get at the moment - I only took 50! LOL - they dont like to sit still long enough.. please excuse the smeared glass, I forgot that my two year old was helping me clean the glass earlier..

I had one person tell me that the blue ones were males and the red/orange ones were females. Another person said I had to look at the fins - pointed was male, rounded was female..


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## adieu (Jan 26, 2006)

Yep, that looks like the blue variant of M. estherae. Males are blue and females are orange/red. You can vent them. What you do is net them, and while they are netted hold them in your hand so that you are looking at their underside. If you see a "oo" you have a male, if you see "oO" you have a female. 

Here's info on that specific variant...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=791


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Venting is correct term. I believe it is females will have the oval shape and males circle shape. I dont vent much as pea**** females and males differ so much.


BTW ADIEU OWNS SOME OF MP's Strain of Eureka's :mrgreen:


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

LOL - do you have any clue how hard it is to catch these suckas??:lol:


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## goodie (Sep 2, 2005)

Georgia Peach said:


> LOL - do you have any clue how hard it is to catch these suckas??:lol:


Yes Ma'am!


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

trick is to get a worm and fishing pole! just sit back with a beer and gurantee to catch something


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

MalawianPro said:


> trick is to get a worm and fishing pole! just sit back with a beer and gurantee to catch something



LMAO - you know, I actually done that with my Oscar one time! Used a kiddie pole and tied a cricket to it! There was NO time for beer drinking! LMAO


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