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Venting fish?

Becca

Members
Jeff has some B. cupidos on his list, and I'd like to get some company for the 3 we have in the 150.

I think ours are all female, but I wanted to check. I looked up venting and it seems like it is really dependent on species.

Does anyone have any tips on determining male vs. female features on this particular fish, or a similar species?
 

festaedan

potamotrygon fan
I've never vented biotodoma but with most cichlids the males vent and anus are the same size and with females the vent is bigger than the anus.
 
You are correct, although what your looking for is similar in most species it is also very species dependant. If you can't find specific info on that species your best bet is to look at all three and compare if two are identical and one different you can come to pretty accurate conclusions especially if you use other observations like whatever makes you believe they are female already or growth rates, color ect. Sorry I can't be of more substantial help.

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festaedan

potamotrygon fan
Jeff might know
In the past when I've ordered from him he's had no problem on venting the specific fish I wanted.
 

Becca

Members
Jeff might know
In the past when I've ordered from him he's had no problem on venting the specific fish I wanted.

He recommended that I look up pictures, of course every picture I find looks different depending on what type of fish it is!

Sam thought that my group was at least 3 females and maybe 1 male, but he wasn't really sure.

I think I have at least 2 females, because two of the ones I have lip-wrestle often, which I've read is a female behavior in this species.

There isn't any really reliable information on how to sex them that I can find.
 

Localzoo

Board of Directors
Hey so do they have any blue under the eyes? If so other than venting this is said to be reliable as well.

-Joe Mcelheron
Several authors have suggested that the sexes are distinguishable by the pattern of laterally-orientated, iridescent blue markings which extend from beneath the anterior portion of the eye to the tip of the snout.

In males these markings have been said to form unbroken stripes whereas in females they’re supposed to form a series of variable blotches, and it’s been suggested that the reason for this is that females inhabit deeper water while males prefer the shallows and are thus more easily accessible to collectors, but this seems questionable given that large batches of unsexable juvenile specimens are often exported.

A more plausible hypothesis may be that Biotodoma species require some time to become mature and are thus not immediately sexable, and this may also explain the apparent ‘difficulty’ in breeding them in aquaria (see ‘Reproduction’).

Based on observations from breeders both males and females can possess stripes on the head but males tend to grow a little larger, are deeper-bodied and develop longer filamentous extensions on the dorsal and caudal fins than females.

.



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Becca

Members
Hey so do they have any blue under the eyes? If so other than venting this is said to be reliable as well.

-Joe Mcelheron
Several authors have suggested that the sexes are distinguishable by the pattern of laterally-orientated, iridescent blue markings which extend from beneath the anterior portion of the eye to the tip of the snout.

In males these markings have been said to form unbroken stripes whereas in females they’re supposed to form a series of variable blotches, and it’s been suggested that the reason for this is that females inhabit deeper water while males prefer the shallows and are thus more easily accessible to collectors, but this seems questionable given that large batches of unsexable juvenile specimens are often exported.

A more plausible hypothesis may be that Biotodoma species require some time to become mature and are thus not immediately sexable, and this may also explain the apparent ‘difficulty’ in breeding them in aquaria (see ‘Reproduction’).

Based on observations from breeders both males and females can possess stripes on the head but males tend to grow a little larger, are deeper-bodied and develop longer filamentous extensions on the dorsal and caudal fins than females.

.



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Yes and no, it depends on their mood. I've seen this before, but I always felt the first paragraph is somewhat contradicted by the fourth.
 

Becca

Members
I managed to nab them all this morning while they were still half asleep. The stripes on their faces say male, but their how d'you do's say female.
 

Becca

Members
Lol based on venting? Maybe the Dom female takes on the blue war paint stripe under the eyes?


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Nah, all 3 of them have 2 stripes leading from just underneath the front of the eye to the edge of the lip.

They were NOT pleased with me this AM. I was surprised by just how much water a fish that size (5") can splash out of a tank.
 
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