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How to sex Hongsloi?

jantan

New Member
Messages
12
Hi I'm planning to get a hongsloi pair soon but I'm not able to find much clear info on how to sex them besides that a male's dorsal fin is more pointed, they're bigger and more colourful. Are there any other points to take note of? Also at what size can you sex them relatively reliably?
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
I have some that are about 1.50" the dominant males are starting to show some red on the belly and the yellow on the head, if there in a pet shop with light colored substrate and stressed it can be hard to tell, if at a pet shop I would stand back and watch them for about ten min. or so and see if you can pick out two that seem to be wanting ro pair up, the male might have some color to him and the female may have black in her vent. fins and hope for the best, if you dont get a pair maybe the LPS will let you trade one of them.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
I have a set of 4 hongsloi raised from 1/4 of an inch and they are just reaching sexual maturity. The males are substantially larger and the strip on the body is a little different:
Here are the picture of the four - all images are a different fish (I believe i have 2 males and 2 females or more likely 3 male and 1 female):
-
I'm pretty sure that h1 is a male he is larger and more colourful than the other 3.
I'm pretty sure h5 is a female - she is not only substantially smaller but her strip only goes part way down the body but not 100% sure the strip means anything.
I'm pretty sure h2 is a male but not 100% sure and h3 is a toss up - h3 is a bit smaller than h2 but otherwise look siimilar so perhaps a male.
h1.jpg
h2.jpg
h3.jpg
h5.jpg
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
I think that you are right: 3 males and 1 female (top, more in focus one in last photo). I'm not 100% positive about fish in photo 3; small in photo and at a poor angle.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
Here is another picture of that third fish. I Noticed a weird thing about it and the one we think is a female. One side the black line goes the full length but the other they both have 2 dots as shown above (I';ve had these fishes for about 4 months now as they were quite small - i feel really bad about that male nijsseni but didn't realize it required much softer water than the hongsloi who are in the same tank) - it may very well be a female.

h6.jpg




I think that you are right: 3 males and 1 female (top, more in focus one in last photo). I'm not 100% positive about fish in photo 3; small in photo and at a poor angle.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
All 4 are the same age but they seem to be maturing at a different rate. Still they have very nice behavior pattern. It took them a long time (several months) to learn to trust me.
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
I find dither fish help and after about a week live food really gets them going.
Every batch I have ever had there is always runts, that's not to say they won't grow normal size, I find removing the dominant ones will allow the lesser ones to become the dominant fish. Good luck
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
I'm about 90% sure it isn't a runt and it is 2 males and 2 females. This isn't just based on size and looks but behavior. The 'non' dominant male is out in the open all the time with the angels; the 'dominant' male is normally in the very back not visible behind some drift wood. The angles look large in the photo but they are still fairly young - i think around 8 weeks - have to look up when the wrigglers became free swimming but they are growing extremely fast. I should probably get them out of the tank soon. Unlike my last set none of these bicker with each other or any of the other fishes - the last set i had bickered like cat and dogs all day long. In a month or so all that will be left in the 29 are the 4 h. apistogramma; the female nijjensi and sterbai.
-
The female h. apistogramma have a touch of black on the pectoral fins that i don't see on the males this is clearly seen in the last photo - isn't that the sure sign of a female ?
 

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