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Sexing Apistogramma sp. pebas

North

New Member
Messages
10
I recently bought a pair of Apistogramma sp. pebas from my LFS thinking I had a male and a female. Now I'm not so sure. The one I presumed to be a male is starting to look a lot more like a female. I was just wondering if that is so.

Now it sometimes gets these black ventral fins (not so bold as the one I'm sure is a female) but then washes out into a more grayish color with a little greenish blue on the face. Which is why I'm not sure it isn't a male still.
 

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Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Sorry, but I can't tell anything from the photos. The fish is too 'washed out', showing no pattern. Looking at the tips of the dorsal and anal fins, it could be either a female or immature male. How large is it?
 

deliriouz

Member
Messages
52
Location
Perth, Australia
I am raising up about 20 pebas at the moment. They should be pretty easy to sex once they get to 2.5cm. You just have to wait till your fish settle a bit more and get their colors back.
 

North

New Member
Messages
10
I'll have to measure it. It washes out and then gets its vertical line back all the time depending on mood.

It's pretty small but the female is the exact same size and she's totally sexable. This one actually loses its pattern when it's feeling 'confident.'

They're about 2cm long.
 

Rod

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
196
Location
Brisbane,Australia
The Best way to sex Apistos....or any fish really

is provide the ideal environment

Soft ,Acid water...raise temp slightly....feed live food
sandy substrate, driftwood, leaf litter

Sex will soon be obvious

put them in a bare tank with treated tap water....sexing is a lot more difficult
 

North

New Member
Messages
10
They're in a tank without substrate so that obviously needs to change but they're being fed a quality diet in RO water. I'll see about getting sand this week.
 

Rod

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
196
Location
Brisbane,Australia
See if you can hunt down some ketapang(Indian Almond) leaves
These are often used by Betta breeders
They will add tannins to water and send it naturally acid
 

North

New Member
Messages
10
Measured "it" today with an actual ruler. About 1.5 inches. I'm leaning towards female at this point. Does anyone know if pebas are polygamous or monogamous? If they're polygamous I'll just pick up another male, otherwise I'll look to trade one of the girls.
 

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deliriouz

Member
Messages
52
Location
Perth, Australia
At 1.5 inches, you'd put money on that being a female especially if the other fish in the same tank is a female. I think they are only occasionally polygamous. Here are pics of a female and male of the same approximate size from my tank

DSC00184_1_zpsu3ibkixo.jpg


DSC00182_zpsyimjosgi.jpg
 
Last edited:

North

New Member
Messages
10
well I'll have to go to my local Mom & Pop fish store. They had a larger one that was obviously male, but his mouth looked strange and I wasn't sure whether or not he was deformed. I'll see if they have any others coloring up.
 

john krol

New Member
Messages
9
At 1.5 inches, you'd put money on that being a female especially if the other fish in the same tank is a female. I think they are only occasionally polygamous. Here are pics of a female and male of the same approximate size from my tank

DSC00184_1_zpsu3ibkixo.jpg


DSC00182_zpsyimjosgi.jpg
Looks like a f & a M
 

North

New Member
Messages
10
Looks like a f & a M

Yes that's a male & a female, however, those aren't my fish.

I went to the LFS and picked up a boy that had colored up. He's beautiful, obvious male. And what does that supposed female do when I plop the new make in? HE colors up and turns out to be a male too, of course.
 

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