Hecticity Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Have noticed a bit of talk and interest since the last batch of Cuban cichlids came in. Just wondering how many people on the forum have one or some..? Am growing out two at the moment and am still undecided on sex of both but leaning towards male and female at the moment, so hard to tell though. Would love to see pics of anyone else's, here are a couple of my two both in the first week of purchase. Will get some up to date ones this weekend.. First one smaller potential female, second larger potential male. Partial tank shot of potential male tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyNZ Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I bought one initially and then another one several weeks after, both from the same LFS. The second one I really believed was a female; took 2-3 visits to make sure. Both were put in my main 550L cichlid tank. However every chance they meet, they fight each other. This led me to believe the second one is a male. I compared various online photos and made the call that the second one was definitely a male. So after a few days I had to return the second one. Anyway here are some photos of my only Cuban male: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruju Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I regret not picking up a few individuals when they were available. Should be female if it has a decent portion of black along the dorsal fin. aldrichdg I'd say yours is a male too. I hope someone is breeding them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I regret not picking up a few individuals when they were available. So do I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyNZ Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 I regret not picking up a few individuals when they were available. Should be female if it has a decent portion of black along the dorsal fin. aldrichdg I'd say yours is a male too. I hope someone is breeding them. If you are really keen, contact the upper hutt pet centre. They still have the Cuban male I returned (replaced) a couple of weeks ago. If they can't ship, I can volunteer to do it. Though I should warn you, I have not shipped any fish before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruju Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Nah it's alright. Thanks for the offer though. If they come in again I'd like to get a group of young ones and form a pair out of that. What's the growth rate like on yours? I have heard they are slow-ish? Aggro? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted April 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Both mine seem to change colouration quite frequently, dorsal fin blackness etc. so will probably just be a waiting game to see as they get bigger, and maybe with introduction. Aggression levels seem pretty minimal at the moment, ones in with firemouths, sharks loaches and chases the firemouths a bit around feeding but nothing to major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyNZ Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 First one smaller potential female, second larger potential male. At first glance, the first photo do looked like a female. At closer look though, the edge of the dorsal fin does not seem to be solid black (orange or reddish?). I believe it is the same thing that got me wrong. When I visited the LFS a couple of times, the fins were folded so it seemed to me they were solid black (dorsal fin). However when I took it home, and put it with the male, there I could see the dorsal fin in all its glory (expanded). Which wasn't solid black. So I suggest you confirm if the dorsal fin is solid black when expanded. Also, online sources say Cuban females are a little bit rounder (or plumper). Here is a photo of a Cuban female that HFF Albany sent me when I inquired, just before the Easter break: Unfortunately (for me), someone local put a hold on it right after the break and eventually purchased it. Hopefully it was you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruju Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 At first glance, the first photo do looked like a female. At closer look though, the edge of the dorsal fin does not seem to be solid black (orange or reddish?). I believe it is the same thing that got me wrong. When I visited the LFS a couple of times, the fins were folded so it seemed to me they were solid black (dorsal fin). However when I took it home, and put it with the male, there I could see the dorsal fin in all its glory (expanded). Which wasn't solid black. So I suggest you confirm if the dorsal fin is solid black when expanded. Also, online sources say Cuban females are a little bit rounder (or plumper). Here is a photo of a Cuban female that HFF Albany sent me when I inquired, just before the Easter break: Unfortunately (for me), someone local put a hold on it right after the break and eventually purchased it. Hopefully it was you. That top one I think is a male, I wouldn't go by the orange on the fin tips. From what I read online it is about the extent of the black on the dorsal fin (as seen in the 2nd photo you put up) and a blackish mark on the flank? Yeah that last one is female I believe. Saw her a HFF albany. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 That is the one from Albany, kind of what I was meaning about changing colouration/patterning etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Couple of shots from today. Both showing "male dorsals", not sure what to think at this stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruju Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Dorsal fins are quite rounded at the tips, is that a good way to sex this species? Compared to something like a jag or texas who tend to have dimorphic finnage. First pic I don't know what it is to be sure. Second pic it looks thick bodied and I would suggest male? If they are co-existing then they are more likely to be a pair? Nice fish guys. Jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted April 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Dorsal shape seems to be more pointed in large males, have seen photos of breeders without though. Growing my two out separately at the moment, trying to get some decent size on them. Quite tempted to put them together to see if sex becomes more apparent but think I will wait till they are more of a similar size, smaller one is pretty small still.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruju Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 It might be riskier adding them together once they are big though? Usually if they grow up together fish are more compatible? Wonder if you would get different growth rates? Does anyone know if roskill HFF still have some? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted April 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Yeah have been thinking that myself, might try them together next weekend. Should be interesting! No more at Mt Roskill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbarTerror Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 I have one of these beautys. I have just confirmed she is a female (well I hope im right). I have only based this on the fact that recently I added a female Jack dempsey into my tank and in the last week my cuban has been continuously following her around with no noticed aggressive behavior towards the jack and the Cuban's whole underside has gone dark black and she also looks plumpish. After doing a bit of googling I came across a vid on youtube that showed a breeding pair and the females underside was completly black. I could be wrong but my instincts tell me im on the right track. Wish I could put some pics up but still havent figured that out yet lol (not computor savvy). I am now hoping I can find a male out there somewhere one day. I have read they are not all that hard to breed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbarTerror Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 I will post some pics up on NZ Cichlids facebook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted May 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 I've found mine have changed between more and less black in fins and on underside occasionally. They seem so hard to sex in my experience. Have been wanting to introduce my two for a while now to see if it helps at all but haven't got round to it yet...Maybe this weekend... Awesome fish though, mine a very interactive and seem pretty mellow towards my other fish so far. A link to some pics would be cool if you can't figure out how to post them on here.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbarTerror Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 Mine is not really aggressive either she was a little bolshy at first when the jack dempsey was added but she's all good now bit of a croozer as well. I put up a pic today on the nz cichlid facebook page under posts. I do hope someone gets to breed them in Nz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbarTerror Posted May 14, 2015 Report Share Posted May 14, 2015 https://m.facebook.com/NewZealandCichli ... e&filter=2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted May 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 My two are in the same tank as of this afternoon. So far so good. Small one acting like an over protective boyfriend.... Now leaning towards larger one being female, smaller male. But who knows, time will tell I guess. Photos in the next few days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TbarTerror Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Yay how exciting goodluck can't wait to hear how it goes and see the pics :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyNZ Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 My two are in the same tank as of this afternoon. So far so good. Small one acting like an over protective boyfriend.... Now leaning towards larger one being female, smaller male. But who knows, time will tell I guess. Photos in the next few days.... Good on you... keep us posted please. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishyNZ Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 I am now hoping I can find a male out there somewhere one day. I have read they are not all that hard to breed. I have a male Cuban and my LFS has another male. No female on this part of NZ I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecticity Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Couple of quick pics, hard to get decent ones..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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