Male or Female Hongsloi?

[ue222]

Hello again,

I recently got two Hongsloi. Posted asking if the smaller was a M or F and was advised 100% male. I brought him back and got a new supposed female Hongsloi, after 1 week of the new one settling in am posting asking if this time I actually got a female.
Behavior of the pair is completely different between them now as compared to prior when I had a juvenile/sneaker male. Bigger one seems to be showing off to new smaller one instead of just chasing like it was with the previous smaller one.

Here is a few pictures of the smaller one over the course of the last few days I want to know if it is female. Thank you!

 

[Mike Wise]

Looks like a female to me. Size?

 

[ue222]

Looks like a female to me. Size?

Really small compared to big male. I can try and get object for scale. No chance bigger than 2 inches right now.

 

[ue222]

Looks like a female to me. Size?

Compared to a 5mL syringe and a Marginatus pencil fish although not sure if the pencils are adults yet

 

[MacZ]

Compared to a 5mL syringe and a Marginatus pencil fish although not sure if the pencils are adults yet

That fish is a male domestic A. hongsloi.

 

[ue222]

That fish is a male domestic A. hongsloi.

Ugh alright thank you I’m gonna exchange them both for agassizii then like was my original exchange plan before my LFS got more hongsloi

 

[Mike Wise]

Mac very well could be right. Based on the size of the N. marginatus (even if fully grown) the apisto is too young/small to sex confidently.

 

[ue222]

Mac very well could be right. Based on the size of the N. marginatus (even if fully grown) the apisto is too young/small to sex confidently.

Would there be any way for me to be sure based on behavior with the bigger one or no

 

[Mike Wise]

Er, laying eggs would be definitive. Without experience with apisto behavior it is often hard to tell the difference between interest in breeding and territorial aggression.

 

[anewbie]

I had a female that most thought was a male until she laid eggs. To be honest she was very large but slightly more slender than the male and she was pretty bossy like a male but one day she laid eggs.... If you search this forum you can find my post and people thoughts on her.

 

[ue222]

Ok thanks so much for the replies. Probably just going to take the smaller one back (again), and let the big male have the tank for the time being while I decide if I just want to keep him with some more pencils or if I want to go through the trouble of exchanging for agassizii to try and get m and f of them. Thanks!

 

[ue222]

So these black stripes don’t mean anything when this size? It also look like smaller just submitted to big male and they are now in that cave together shortly after she started displaying these black marks.

Went in for a few minutes, back out, then more submission type posturing from the smaller one and then smaller one led the bigger one back to this cave and they are just in there for at least 10 minutes now.

 

[Ben Rhau]

The yellow/wasp coloration is breeding dress. That’s a female.

If you see the female tilting to the side around the male, that’s a good sign for breeding activity.

 

[ue222]

The yellow/wasp coloration is breeding dress. That’s a female.

If you see the female tilting to the side around the male, that’s a good sign for breeding activity.

I think I did! Will have to grab a picture to post.

 

[Apistoguy52]

Hooray!

 

[ue222]

Sorry for the awful pictures using my phone. This was right before she led him to the cave for the first time and the black marks became more pronounced. Don’t want to jinx it but I guess it seems good.

 

[Mike Wise]

Looks like typical breeding behavior to me.

 

[ue222]

Looks like typical breeding behavior to me.

Super cool. Gonna have to prepare in case the fry hatch.