Correct sex

[mixmixi]

Hi,

There was a bit of confusion around this bitaeniata I had for sometime now. The surely male is in the first picture but the second one is somehow unclear to me. The fish is around 4-4.5cm and shows more yellow on fins yet I think it's a subdominant male, what do you think?

 

[Mike Wise]

Based on the extended anterior dorsal spines and weak spotting on the caudal fin, I would say that the bottom fish is a subdominant male. Do you know where these fish were collected (Brazil? Peru?)? The shape of the body is rather odd for A. bitaeniata.

 

[mixmixi]

Hi Mike. That's what I thought too. The above male also has a fairly odd body shape. They were collected in Peru this year and been imported to the UK. I might be able to ask the seller about the location if he knows. But they were labeled as bitaeniata shushupe.

 

[Mike Wise]

OK, they are probably just obese. It happens in aquariums where they don't have to actively look for food.