Apistogramma Macmasteri (Red Neck) Sexing

[nath1985]

I last posted here in 2013. I've taken a long break from keeping apistos but clearly the itch, never left.

About a week ago, I was supposedly given a male and female A. Macmasteri but they are both relatively young. This is the first time keeping Macmasteri, and it's definitely been the hardest apisto to tell the male and female apart compared to ones I've kept previously... but then again they may both be of the same sex.

They have only recently started to venture out and spend less time hiding.

Although the 'male' initially had shown more confidence and swam more actively around the tank to begin with, the one I suspect is the 'female' has been asserting her dominance in the last couple of days chasing the male away. They are both currently very similar in size. Is it normal for the female to show such gusto when she isn't brooding over any eggs/fry for this apisto? Is she still establishing her territory?

I would like to know if it's possible for the female to display such dominance toward the male or whether I just have two male apistos? The tank is heavily planted with lots of places to hide, but I also have a spare tank where one of them could be moved to if that's necessary.

This first two photos are of what I believe is the female and the one doing all the chasing.

The 3rd and 4th photos are what I believe (and others believe) to be the male.

Any thoughts welcomed as I would like to learn a little more about these guys.

 

[nath1985]

Caudal fin is a little clearer in this photo of fish #1

 

[Mike Wise]

I hate to say it, but I think you probably have 2 males. Your "female" has rather pointed tips on the dorsal and anal fins, typical of males. Females have more rounded/blunt fins. The face also shows more red than I would expect on a female.

 

[nath1985]

I hate to say it, but I think you probably have 2 males. Your "female" has rather pointed tips on the dorsal and anal fins, typical of males. Females have more rounded/blunt fins. The face also shows more red than I would expect on a female.

Thank you Mike, for your valuable insight. I had the same thoughts after reading some of your other responses to similar threads.

Should I wait and see what happens in the next month or so and keep an eye on them, or do you think I should separate them now?

Good to see you are still around even after all of these years.

 

[Mike Wise]

I personally would not separate them unless necessary. Still around? No, not dead yet. As Paul Simon sang "Still crazy after all these years."

 

[nath1985]

I personally would not separate them unless necessary. Still around? No, not dead yet. As Paul Simon sang "Still crazy after all these years."

Haha, well I am glad you are still kicking around and providing your valuable responses to the crazy apisto people like myself. I take it you'll be on here right to the very end then - great news for all of us.

 

[nath1985]

These apistos are definitely keeping me guessing and I never know what to expect, or how to interpret some of their behaviour.

I made a call a couple of days ago to separate them, and now they are in their separate tanks and both are doing well. I thought I had taken the one getting beaten up out of the main tank they were both in, but I now think I may have relocated the aggressor instead.

At this point, I presume both are 'males' based on the photos included in the thread above.

After getting home today, the one in the main tank has built-up sand at the entrance to a rock cave in the tank, excavating and clearing out sand from within.

Just wondering if this is typical of male Macmasteri behaviour?

 

[MacZ]

Males and females may dig out a hole for a sleeping spot, so this in itself is not indicative of anything.

 

[nath1985]

Males and females may dig out a hole for a sleeping spot, so this in itself is not indicative of anything.

I did not know that, that's rather intriguing to me. Thank you for the response.

 

[MacZ]

I should add: I have seen this in several species, so this is not just typical for A. macmasteri.

 

[nath1985]

These showed up near the entrance to the cave built by the one apisto living in the tank. I separated the two I originally received after thinking they were both male.

I only have a single Apisto (presumably male), and about 8 x N. Beckfordi in the tank.

Could they be unfertilised apisto eggs? If not what could they be? I've seen apisto eggs before but not strewn across the tank in this fashion so not sure if they even are eggs.

 

[Mike Wise]

I have never seen an apisto spawn where eggs are strewn across the tank. The photos are not clear enough for me to say if they are eggs or not. They look rather large for pencilfish eggs. Could they be snail eggs (unlikely) or even freshwater ostracods???

 

[nath1985]

I have never seen an apisto spawn where eggs are strewn across the tank. The photos are not clear enough for me to say if they are eggs or not. They look rather large for pencilfish eggs. Could they be snail eggs (unlikely) or even freshwater ostracods???

Thanks Mike. I fear I've become a little too obsessed with trying to figure out what's happening with the tank and probably should just be patient and let things take their course.

I hope they aren't snail eggs, or at least hope they don't hatch, although I don't think they are. I've not introduced any plants since October 2024, and I always boil Catappa leaves before putting them in. I've not intentionally introduced any snails into the tank either.

I've seen N Beckfordi eggs and they are small, round and almost transparent. These are larger and pinkish.

As for the A. Macmasteri that's in the tank, it's basically bunkered down and I've hardly seen it compared to just a couple of days ago. It will pop its head out in a different location to this cave and then quickly retreat so I have no idea what's driven this change in behaviour.

Meanwhile in the other tank, it's becoming more obvious that it's a male.

 

[anewbie]

Are these descendant from wild caught fishes ?

 

[nath1985]

Are these descendant from wild caught fishes ?

Hmmm can't be sure, but I would doubt it. They were not labelled as such. Plus given how much colouration they have around fins and head, I am lead to believe they come from domestic stock - they are very young still and lack colour.

 

[apisto_fan4evr]

Those eggs appear to be snail eggs. I've got a ton of them in all my tanks.

 

[nath1985]

Those eggs appear to be snail eggs. I've got a ton of them in all my tanks.

Hey @apisto_fan4evr , thanks for your response.

Do you know what kind they are?

They disappeared in a day to a day and a half and I've not seen any eggs for 10 days (although admittedly it would be hard to search in every nook and cranny in the entire tank).

Would they have been eaten by other tank inhabitants? I only have the one Macmasteri, N. Beckfordi and Caridina shrimp in the tank.

I've not seen any snails in the tank so maybe they never hatched or only have one female snail i haven't seen before. I spend a lot of time looking at the tank so are there signs and traces that snails leave in the tank which would indicate one is in there?

Cheers.

 

[Apistoguy52]

They’re not snail eggs, they were Apistogramma eggs.

 

[nath1985]

Thanks @Apistoguy52 . Appreciate your input, although I have to say I'm definitely at a loss as to what the sex of this apisto is. I probably just need to wait and see if it becomes clearer over the next couple of weeks.

If they were apisto eggs, then that would mean he is really a she and maybe even my other apisto I am keeping in a separate tank is also a she. Such a mystery.

This is the apisto in the tank where the eggs were.

 

[MacZ]

Definitely a female in the video.