Sexing Apisto sp inca

[Deedoo]

Hello all !

I am back ! I lost my Biotoecus opercularis this summer because of very high temperatures here in Paris this summer :cry: :cry: :cry:
But I have now 5 juvies of Apistogramma sp inca (2 cm) and I would like to know how to be sure of their sex ?
One of them has red on the caudal fin and no black on the pelvic fins. I think he is a male. The 4 others have no red on the caudal fin but black on pelvic fins. Are they all females ? They always fight ! Here are some photos :

http://aquabonsai.free.fr/Apisto_male_web.jpg

http://aquabonsai.free.fr/apistos_web.jpg

http://aquabonsai.free.fr/Apisto juv parade_male.JPG

 

[Peter Lovett1]

Inca50 are easy to sex at a very young age if it has black on the pelvic fins it is a female.

The photo at the bottom shows a male and a female.

 

[Deedoo]

Hello Peter !

Thank you . So now, I know that I have one male for 4 females ! What a lucky male he is ! :lol: Are the Apisto sp inca polygams ?

Thanks.
Deedoo

 

[farm41]

Yes they are polygamos, I have kept 1 male with up to 4 females in a 75g tank.

 

[Neil]

Welcome back, Deedoo!

Sorry to hear about your biotecus. That is a shame.

The second photo also shows the bluer sheen of a male. Males develop longer rays on the backside of the dorsal and on the anal and ventral fins. They also develop seperated and extended filaments on the first several anterior rays of the dorsal, usually with red tips. They have more pronounced spangling on the back portion of the anal fin and a clearer red crescent on the caudal. Females can have this spangling and crescent, but it is usually muted. Females have shorter rays on their fins and often have the above mentioned black front edging to the ventral. Their body color is about the same in unmature specimens, but will become yellower, instead of blue (obviously much yellower during reproduction). The vertical bands on a female are often very clearly visable, especially during breeding.

I would say it is a good bet that you have 1 male and 4 females and yes your male should be happy!

One other thing. The pictures that you show are quite nice, but could you please link them to their web location rather than directly please. We'ld like to display small image files and link large ones. Yours are very nice, but very big.

Thank you,

Neil