ZebraPleco.com • The complete Hypancistrus zebra resource

Hi! I would like some help if possible with my Zebra Plec. I have kept and bred many fish including some more challenging species and have recently discovered this website. I wandered if you could help me to find the sex of this fish and then advise me of the best way to get my hands on one of the opposite sex. Unfortunately I am only 17 and at college so money is a slight problem so if you could advise me as to how much the other Plec should be that would be a huge help.

This Plec is 2 inches long.

I would be hugely grateful for any help on the matter!

Thank You
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I can't help with the sexing issue I'm afraid! Is he usually that pink or is it just because he's stressed from being caught?

Oh and if you put your location in your profile then you may have more luck tracking down another one!

It is pink due to the poor light on this tank, got a new tank getting mature, ready for this project

Fair enough! Good luck on your quest!

Looking at the shape of the head i would say it was a male, females heads are usually more rounded and not so broad. The real clincher would be to look at the first ray of the pec fin. Males have a thicker ray which looks 'hairy' due to the spines. They also usually have longer spines between the eye and the pec fin (interpelocar spines I think they are called).

Because of the price adult females can command, I would suggest you stay on the look out for juveniles and buy several to increase the possibility of getting a female.

Ok, thank you very much for looking and your useful advice.

Female

@ Mceve: I don't want to be rude, but what have you based your answer on? Have I missed something? Your reasons would help me and others greatly.

Thanks

Al.C

You're not rude for asking why I think she's a female

I look at the pectoral fins, thin first ray. I look at the pelvic fins and see that they are small compared to the pectoral fins. I look at the gill area and see the fish seems to be "pinched", from lack of interopucal growth. I look at the shape of the pectoral fins, slightly crescent. Then I look at the body shape. The fish is short and stout.

The fish doesn't have a particaluralily broad head, and....she just "feels" like a female. There's always an element of guessing involved when one tries to determine the sex of a Zebra before they have spawned, or before you've been able to oserve their behaviour.

I might very well be wrong

@ McEve: Thanks for your supposition. What do you think about the head not being rounded and having a bit of a 'snout'?

I've got females with a "snout". I don't think there's only one thing that is a dead giveaway when sexing these fish. Seems to me you need to look at several things and make an educated guess, especially when you do not have the opportunity to watch their behaviour.

here's one of my ladies:

and another one:
Notice this one has rather well developed interopucarls, a so called hairy female. (she's the one laying the largest batches, 20+ eggs every time, but takes for ever before giving them up )

Unless we're talking about a male ready to spawn No mistaken one of those!

thnks for your help but cud u give me all your final verdicts, sorry to be annoying but i still dont no due to so much confusion. Thank you every who commented.

I say female

Looks like I am out voted two to one

McEve: taking your point on the crescent shaped fins, compare the fins on your first photo to your second photo, shows that not everything is predictable, wouldn't you say.

Al.C

You're right Al, that's why I use body-shape to determine sex. Females, tend to become plumper after their pectoral fins. Males are usually very streamline, no curves.

Like the one in question, it plumps up right after the pectoral fins.


Of course, I would like to know if this always true?