Male or female? T. meeki

[Piotr Koba]

Here are pics of my friend's 7cm Firemouth. So the question is: is that male or female (or: is it possible to tell that in that size)?

[John Heaton]

Sexual dimorphism is present, though limited in this species. Males are generally larger, (up to 15 cm), than females, have brighter and more red colouration around the throat, and have more pointed dorsal and anal fins.

[Piotr Koba]

Ok, this is the biggest fish within the group. He (my friend) has these fish for some time, and they never tried to spawn - are they too young?

[John Heaton]

Firemouths at about 7 cm the dimorphism becomes apparent. T. meeki spawns like many other cichlids, forming mated pairs at about a year old and laying eggs in a cave.
They need lots of hiding places.
The photo shows very pointed anal and dorsal fins i.e. male.

[zobek]

Hi everyone,

This is all about my fish I've bought 6 juveniles in June. Thet were about 3-4cm, here are some pics of them:











And some more :
http://images47.fotosik.pl/142/8f4fd202cfb1ce32.jpg
http://images48.fotosik.pl/142/f14aedd41d936b4a.jpg
http://images39.fotosik.pl/138/651cdefb3e029344.jpg
http://images44.fotosik.pl/142/918dba7b9a3443b1.jpg
http://images40.fotosik.pl/137/91eeba9ace6f79e0.jpg
http://images50.fotosik.pl/141/8088c8372e472836.jpg
http://images46.fotosik.pl/141/8f57fd69439a26a5.jpg
http://images41.fotosik.pl/137/7c67fec797dc5a38.jpg
http://images40.fotosik.pl/137/dc8a251d26fc7fcc.jpg
http://images38.fotosik.pl/137/44739fd39daa45f6.jpg
http://images40.fotosik.pl/137/ee295853067c41f0.jpg
http://images50.fotosik.pl/141/5adc0c326ddceeb8.jpg
http://images45.fotosik.pl/142/d8b855bb963bbb16.jpg
http://images39.fotosik.pl/138/2626815be16e8092.jpg
http://images37.fotosik.pl/137/92078110620708ca.jpg
http://images43.fotosik.pl/141/c30145a8e6f9fa77.jpg
http://images47.fotosik.pl/142/0e5404ebce93f3c3.jpg
http://images40.fotosik.pl/137/776279c0af2fca74.jpg


I'd like them to pair themself and I'll keep only a pair. Now they're about 6-7cm, and I'm afraid there is no male Only one fish could be "him", and pics you can see at the beggining posted by Peter show that fish. This is the biggest one within the others, has longest fins and is the most agressive and terriotorial. John gives me some hope (thanks a lot ), but maybe this will help to asure me :

Thanks in advance for your help

[John Heaton]

My largest Firemouth is about 8 cm and has been busy improving a cave. Probably a female and has excavated the gravel down to the glass. Difficult to photograph but I should get a lucky shot soon. She has very little colour compared to the males.

[zobek]

Now everything is clear This is a male, he has found a very nice female and they're spawning

[Meeki67]

Spawn of savage Meeki from Misol-Ha collected in April 2010, the female is not more than 4.5 cm ...


Rest of image at this place :
http://picasaweb.google.fr/Meeki67/MEXIQUE2010Ponte2Meeki#
http://picasaweb.google.fr/Meeki67/PonteMisolHaSauvageSuite#

[Michael Kwist]

Nice meeki's

I saw a time ago by Tillmann in Germany also young Meeki Rio Mizol ha.. a shame that i did not buy them when i see the pictures now They are beautifull