other Biology & physiology Biology & physiology پژوهشي Orginal research papers There are many differences between sex of fishes in many traits before and after puberty. Differences in growth rate, size, behavior patterns, and breeding time between males and females have great economic importance (<a href="#_ENREF_37" title="Turan, 2007 #1">Turan and Cek, 2007</a>). Therefore, many breeders prefer to delay or prevent puberty or to produce unisex populations<span dir="RTL">.</span> Exogenous steroids can be effective in sex reversal of fishes (<a href="#_ENREF_4" title="Al-ablani, 2002 #2">Al-ablani and Phelps, 2002</a>). Two hormones, estradiol-17&beta; (female-specific hormone) and 17&alpha;-methyltestosterone (male-specific hormone) are the most commonly used hormones for sex reversal (<a href="#_ENREF_36" title="Stepherd, 1995 #3">Stepherd and Bromage, 1995</a>). Gokshura, Nettle root, Sex reversal, Growth rate, Convict cichlid 620 628 http://jifro.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2568-2&slc_lang=other&sid=1 P. Babahajiani 100319475328460029585 100319475328460029585 No Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Agriculture School, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Agriculture School, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran B. Shokrollahi Borhansh@gmail.com 100319475328460029586 100319475328460029586 Yes Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Agriculture School, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran Department of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Agriculture School, Sanandaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran M. Gharibkhani 100319475328460029587 100319475328460029587 No Department of Fisheries, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Astara, Iran. Department of Fisheries, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Astara, Iran.