Need help sexing Apistogramma bitaeniata

[Phil_1983]

Hello,

I just got a pair of A. bitaeniata. I am actually not sure if the female really is a female so I ask you for help. I unfortunately only have my mobiles camera.

Here are three pics of the fish in question. She is approximately 3 to 4 cm.

 

[rasmusW]

Sorry! Hard to tell from these pictures (-atleast for me).
My guess is that it is a male.

-r

 

[Phil_1983]

Okay, thank you very much. May I ask why you see a male there? I want to learn from you

Yesterday the fish in the picture was showing a black dot instead of the lateral band for a short persiod of time while the definitive male was close. Do you know what this mean? Is that stress?

Ghere is notiert much aggression between them. Some flaring and an occasional "tail flicking", but that is it.

 

[rasmusW]

The blue sheen/speckles are less in numbers and intensity on females. Plus females tend to have a broader black band on their pelvic fins.
Atleast thats what I saw, when I had them.
I know some of these diagnostics are not “true diagnostics”, so please take them with a huge grain of salt… or how that saying goes…

-r

 

[Frank Hättich]

Watch out for the metallic green/blue lip spot shown only by males of all agassizii-sublineage species. It is found on the lower part of the upper lip near the corner of the mouth:

 

[Phil_1983]

The blue sheen/speckles are less in numbers and intensity on females. Plus females tend to have a broader black band on their pelvic fins.
Atleast thats what I saw, when I had them.
I know some of these diagnostics are not “true diagnostics”, so please take them with a huge grain of salt… or how that saying goes…

-r

Okay, thank you

 

[Phil_1983]

Watch out for the metallic green/blue lip spot shown only by males of all agassizii-sublineage species. It is found on the lower part of the upper lip near the corner of the mouth:

View attachment 17607

Oh, this is interesting. Does that mean that if it wasn't there, it would be a female? Or is it just a "100% male" indicator?

 

[Frank Hättich]

Oh, this is interesting. Does that mean that if it wasn't there, it would be a female? Or is it just a "100% male" indicator?

The latter.

 

[Phil_1983]

Okay, thank you again.

 

[Mike Wise]

If you look closely you can see highly extended anterior dorsal spines indicative of a male.

 

[Phil_1983]

If you look closely you can see highly extended anterior dorsal spines indicative of a male.

Yes, I saw that and was hoping it might be female anyways.

Thanks, so I guess I have two males.