First time breeder (Nicaraguan Cichlids)

So I want to breed my nicaraguan Cichlids. I'm looking for any and all advice you can give me.
So I had them in my 125 with a whole mess of stuff they were laying eggs all the time but I have loaches that would eat all the eggs after a few days. So I separated them in to a 55 and they just hid. So I got a few more that ended up dominating my original 2 and I haven't had any eggs since. I have 3 very colorful ones and one larger one with pretty much no color. Which ones are male? cause the original 2 were very colorful but looked identical. How can you tell the eggs are fetalized? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Tim

Nics are tough to breed. Its not that they need special requirments for breeding. It that they seem to be picky when pairing, way more so then any other cichlid I have ever bred. As far as sexing goes the females line useually stays there and the males line disapears and all that remains is the diamond shape. This is what I have experianced. This topic should be posted in the american cichlid section.

Sorry I missed a question. Eggs turn white if they are unfertilized. I would do a little more reearch on sexing and pairing tricks. And the be prepared to buy like a dozen nics to give ample oppertunity for a pair to form.

Thanks for the info that helps. In American Cichlids? O so that is for north and south American cichlids lol my bad. Their eggs were all pinkish clear before they got ate and the original two both still had their lines. So it made me think they weren't fertilized and the original two were both female. Thanks for the suggestion of getting more thats probably what I got to do. So when they pair off should I separate them or will they be good in the group still? If I should separate them you think I should just do a sponge filter set up?

My sexing method is not the most accurate however there is a really good profile on this fish in the acuatic community website. I would give it a read. And as for seperating a pair, if you get one I would seperate it and throw a convict or rainbow in with them as a dither to keep there bond strong. Good luck.