# Yellow Lab Male or Female



## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

so I bought a 3.5" Yellow Lab from NFAB a couple of months ago, I pick her out myself. I made sure it had no breeding spots on her tail, I took her home and put her in with another male cichlid, I'm not sure what he was but he looks exactly like a yellow lab with the black stripes on the top fins except he was bright blue. but then he started to attack or what I thought at that time was attacking the yellow lab so I separate them. Then after a few weeks, I noticed what I thought was a female yellow lab had the breeding spots? so I was like what? I got a male. but now he/she is holding eggs in his/her month?? does that make any sense??


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

coldmantis said:


> so I bought a 3.5" Yellow Lab from NFAB a couple of months ago, I pick her out myself. I made sure it had no breeding spots on her tail, I took her home and put her in with another male cichlid, I'm not sure what he was but he looks exactly like a yellow lab with the black stripes on the top fins except he was bright blue. but then he started to attack or what I thought at that time was attacking the yellow lab so I separate them. Then after a few weeks, I noticed what I thought was a female yellow lab had the breeding spots? so I was like what? I got a male. but now he/she is holding eggs in his/her month?? does that make any sense??


If your Lab is holding eggs then you most likely have a female. Eggs spots don't always determine sex in many African Cichlids. I find that a pointed anal and dorsal fin is a better way of determining its a male and round if its a female.

African Cichlids don't like new additions to their tank. I find that it takes a couple of days at least before things settle down after I add a new fish. And even then there is no telling what will happen.

If you want more info on the Yellow Lab you can find it here:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=713

Now more importantly is that you should never breed hybrid african cichlids. No one will want any of your fry and you'll be stuck with tons of fish and won't know what to do with them.

If you want to breed Yellow Labs then you should get a small group and let them grow up together. They will eventualy breed for you assuming you where lucky enough to get at least one female and one male. I bought a group of 6 and they all turned out to be males so there is no guarantee.

Enjoy your fish.
--
Paul


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## Cory (May 2, 2008)

Egg spots can't be used to reliably sex a cichlid. While it may be that in the wild only males have the spots, captive, selective bred females definitely have egg spots in some cases.


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Yep, I have a holding female with egg spots...


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I am pretty sure this is the male it mated with unless I bought it already pregnant.


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## PACMAN (Mar 4, 2010)

Coldmantis, could you post another pic of that fish without the curve of the corner of your tank?

I think I have a cichlid like that and have been trying to ID him forever


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## ted_cichlid (Aug 10, 2010)

It looks like a Pseudotropheus socolofi


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