Distinctive Markings

[JonZeigler]

I have been searching for a sure way of determining male and female Red Zebras apart. I notice that the older of my three Zebras has a dot directly behind his/her eyes on both sides, situated at the upper portion of his/her gells. None the other fish have this marking, although this fish is over three years old and is about 4 inches long. He/she has a lighter coloring; more toward yellow, whereas, the younger ones are more toward red. I know of the yellowish species being different from the Zebras, but this one I think is just old and that may contribute to the slight difference in color. I just did a water change, and he/she now looks a little more reddish.
Anyway, are the markings behind the gells a distinctive marking, or does it make any difference?

Gone Fish'n

[SGypsyMermaid]

here is a male:

http://www.fishlinkcentral.com/photo.hts?332


and these are juveniles(which have the same coloration as females):


http://www.fishlinkcentral.com/photo.hts?336

[jonah]

The male in SGM's link looks like my hybrids. They're estherae/caillanos with black eyes and a light pink color. I didn't know they were hybrids to begin with so I had time to get attached and I didn't have the heart to kill them later. If only I had an American tank to do my evil bidding. :(

[SGypsyMermaid]

i have those estherae/caillanos hybrids, also--their color is very slightly different from that of the male estherae--the male estherae's color has a more salmon-colored tinge.

[JonZeigler]

None of the estherae that I have are pink, or any other color for that matter. They are all orange. The one with the spot behind the gells has a hit of yellow and the other two hit toward red. They're beautiful--------
I don't think there's any hybrid stuff going on here. But as I said, I don't see any of those markings on the other two. Nor are the changing blue. Could they be female???????????

[SGypsyMermaid]

if you've had them for a few yearsand none have turned pink(or blue) then they probably are all female.