Convict Cichlids/ Jack Dempsey

Question
how old do both types reach sexual maturity? How do you tell male from female easily?

Answer
Hi Mark,
Convict cichlids are very prolific breeders who have been known to began breeding at only an inch or so long!! Usually they will be a bit larger around 2 inches or so but most began breeding at a much smaller size. With convicts its very easy to tell the gender. Females have a rusty/orange blotch of color on their bellies and the males do not. Males are also larger than the females and lack the orange blotch.

With Jack Dempseys they can usually breed at around 7-8 inches. Sexing these cichlids can be tricky but typically a general guideline is the males have more "Spangles" of color than the females. The males are also larger and have more pointed fins with very little blue color on their gill covers. Females are also more "Squat" in shape.

Both Jack dempseys and Convicts are awesome fish. I really hope this helps!

Karen~