Sexing Microgeophagus ramirezi

[Abxs]

Hello everyone,

Today i bought a Ramirezi and i'm not sure about its sex. There are some blue dots inside the black dot and the fins are a little circular, but i don't see a reddish belly like other females or the fuller stomach. I also think that i see a little protuberance near the anal fin like the ovipositor but it seems smaller.

Photos:
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4958/20130410104603.jpg
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/1715/20130410105045.jpg
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5017/20130410104700.jpg

Thanks.

 

[Mike Wise]

It looks like a female to me. The humeral spot is more round than vertically oval (on males) and the blue scales are seen in the interior instead of around the outer margin (on males). A pink/red belly is not really a sex distinction. Depending on population/color strain/food even males can have a pink belly.