Nanochromis parilus

[mummymonkey]

I have some Nanochromis parilus reserved. (Although they were marked as N nudiceps they are definitely N. parilus). They weren't in good condition so I asked the store owner to keep them for a week. If they're okay next week I intend to get a pair or two.
They are quite small and I wondered is there is a way to sex them or do I just buy four and hope I have a pair?

 

[tjudy]

The females are usually noticeable even at a small size. Look for rounded bellies and conspicuous black edges over white in the top of the dorsal and caudal fins. The top half of the caudal fin in both sexes will be horizontally striped in black and yellow (irridescent), bit usually stronger in the females. Older males get teh red adn blue in the bottom of the caudal fin, but that can be hard to see in young, stressed fish. I would pick a few larger, less colorful fish and hope they are males, and a few smaller, plump fish with black edges and hope for females.

 

[Blackshark667766]

Chances?

Mathematically speaking a quartet represents about 87.5 percent. This is
about (?) "evens" in a normal dealer's tank. If you have an idea what you are looking for.

Unfortunately near certaintainty of a pair only reaches that value when 8 specimens are purchased (Near certainty), of the possibility of a breeding pair, even exist.


This is part of the problem: the imports move in

1) The professionals remove the "cream"

2) The dedicated "pros" select about 10 -20 % of the rest

3) A further 20% is kept back to "keep the pot "sweet" [In other words to make the "holding tank more interesting"


Next the problem usually disappears,

Then again,

My name is Blackshark667766

 

[art]

I purchased a trio of this fish when they were barely 2 inches TL in size.
Imho, you can tell them apart by what tjudy mentioned about the caudal.

I have pictures of both a male and a female Nanochromis parilus.

 

[Blackshark667766]

Nanochromis spp.

Yes, my apologies. I was just being cynical. I should really learn to hide my disappointment more carefully. Where I live, and can reach, often involves long journeys. Nanochromis are only rarely offered for sale and indeed I have only ever seen N. transvestitus and N. nudiceps offered for sale. Interestingly the nudiceps were "described" as N. nudigesa. I take it that this was a spelling error?

Meanwhile thanks for the link; I will definately check out the site. On a happier note I will be travelling to the South of England to try to purchase some Apistogramma sp. "Apache" and others. It will mean spending a total of about 22 hours on a train, but hey - the fish are not going come to me .


All the best,



Nick