catersun

Ok.. so that sounds bad... but I can't think of another way to phrase it...

At what point are fish mature enough to start reproducing?

More specifically how old would a yellow lab cichlid have to be?

The back story is one of my yellow lab girls has been hiding in a rock for a little over a week. I think she is too young to he guarding eggs, but I really don't know at what age and or size I should expect parenting to start.

Dino

I have had yellow labs hold as young as 4 months.

Allie

Yellow labs don't guard eggs, they hold them in their mouth aka mouth brooding until about 21 days then spit out fry.
Mine labs were about 2.5" inches big when they started the breeding so about 4-5 months old. Most africans cichlids are mature by 3"

Trpimp147

hmm i just need help identifying all my fish.

Allie

If they are african cichlids...I can help id some or most. I have a Lake Malawi hard cover book by Ad Konigs 3rd edition. He lists all kinds of species, like 2000+

Trpimp147

thanks some time ill have to try and take pics there are a few i know i just dont know how to tell there sex. (inall of them)

Allie

The males usually have the brighter colors where the female are dull browns, silver, gold or a duller color of the male ie: cobalt zebras female are a deeper blue..the male are brighter. Yellow lab males have more black on their dorsal fin and pelvic.
Male have a eggs spots on their anal fins.

This site has a lot of info on LM African cichlids. With most species pictures they show both male & female, plus juvenile one
http://www.malawimayhem.com/