2 males and 2 females?

We all know how difficult it is to identify the sex of these fish, so please post a picture in here and we'll try to help you (or at least give an educated guess!).
Post Reply
User avatar
stang1
Groupie
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:58 pm
Location: Northampton, UK

2 males and 2 females?

Post by stang1 »

I've finally got better pics of our Zebras but I'm not completely sure of their sex. Could someone help me please?
Image[/img]
Image
[/img]Image
Image[/img]
User avatar
andrewcoxon
Mentally Certified!
Posts: 536
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:36 pm
Location: Northern England

Post by andrewcoxon »

they look too young to sex. how big are they? the one in the 1st photo looks like a snub nose :(
My Pleco's:
4 x L46
5 x L174
5 x L134
5 x L287
5 x L257
2 x L236
User avatar
stang1
Groupie
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:58 pm
Location: Northampton, UK

Post by stang1 »

I hope not. :(
They are only about 1 1/2" at the moment and I think they are about 18 months old but not entirely sure.
User avatar
McEve
Hypan-guru!
Posts: 2871
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:33 am
Location: Norway
Contact:

Post by McEve »

nr3 looks like a male, part from that I couldn't venture a guess... could you get a closeup of the fish, from the top and side?

Andrew is right... nr1 does look like a snub, and nr4 looks like it's got a hint of it too :( Hopefully I'm wrong and it turns out to be just the angle the shots are taken from :)
User avatar
stang1
Groupie
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:58 pm
Location: Northampton, UK

Post by stang1 »

Thanks to both of you for replying!
Sadly, I can't get any better pics as they have tucked themselves away.
I put them in a bucket when I stripped down their tank so it was easier to photograph them.
Could anyone please tell me what size they are when they start to breed please?
smithrc
Moderator
Posts: 862
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 3:57 pm
Location: Milton Keynes - UK
Contact:

Post by smithrc »

I actually thought Nr 3 looked more female than the others - but its just guess work.

They look bigger than I was expecting them to be :)

As for breeding size.. I'll go for over 3"... ours are breeding and they are all 4" total length - (so about 3.5" SL)
Click For Our Plecs
[url=http://www.smithrc.f2s.com/gallery/plecs][img]http://www.smithrc.f2s.com/assorted/PlecSig_sm.jpg[/img][/url]
User avatar
McEve
Hypan-guru!
Posts: 2871
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:33 am
Location: Norway
Contact:

Post by McEve »

nr3 has a rounder body than the others, but look at the first ray of the pectoral fin. Looks too thick and straight to be a female... but I've been wrong before! The caudal fins also looks too large for a female.

it is a guesswork with fish this young any way you look at it :)
User avatar
John
Moderator
Posts: 1612
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:58 pm
Location: Hellevoetsluis / Holland
Contact:

Post by John »

They are to young to sex in my opinion.
Sorry but the 1st one looks like a definite snub nose to me.
Breeding would be possible over 3", they are at least 2,5 years old by then, i think yours are between 12 and 18 months.
Greetings,
John
[img]http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x276/hypancistrus-zebra/half.gif[/img]
User avatar
stang1
Groupie
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:58 pm
Location: Northampton, UK

Post by stang1 »

Thanks for all the replies. :)
I'm really hoping the first one hasn't got snub nose and it was just a bad angle, could be a case of wishful thinking!
Still a little while until they are ready for breeding then by the sounds of it! Ah well, there's no rush and they are so beautiful, I feel lucky to have them. I'll give it another 6 months or so and post pics again in the hope of sexing them!
Thanks again.
Post Reply