Sexing 2 cacatuoides, confused

[Konigwolf]

Hi quick but urgent (incase seperation is required) question. Can female cacatuoides have fully coloured fins?

I picked up what I thought was a juvie male a couple of weeks ago. larger body than the obvious females, and starting to colour up on the fins, just no crest but since juvie I thought nothing of it. Fins have coloured up to near 75% since then but no crest? would definetly be a triple red

I picked up a bueatiful orange male today, and asked the assistant to grab me a large female (I was trying to control a 4 and 5 year old from wreking the shop) had a quick look at the chosen fish, gave the ok, noting it was indeed a "large" female. on ariving home and aclimitising it I noted it to be very similar to the "male" well developed colour in the fins (but no black markings as in the triple red) and again no crest, are these male or female, very confused, advice please

Andrew

 

[Mike Wise]

I would guess that the bottom 2 photos are of a male. the ventral streamers seem to be much too long for a female. I can't say what the top 2 photos represent. Since many red morphs of A. cacatuoides have short dorsal fin spines it could be a young male, but most males have some black markings in the tail.

 

[fishgeek]

interesting you say that mike i have what i consider to be female with ?venral streamers? extending to there anal fins

 

[Konigwolf]

the fist fish does have black markings coming through on the tail, you can sort of see them in the second image where they look more grey or transparent, thanks for the help.

Andrew

ps so a female shouldn't have black on tail? and good to know about shrt fin male possible.

 

[Mike Wise]

Females get streamers, but this usually occurs after 18 months to 2+ years old - well past their prime. It's possible that Konigwolf is buying some commercial breeder's old breeding stock.

 

[Konigwolf]

It wouldn't suprise me if some of the stock we get is old breed stock, but since we have trouble getting anything much decent in the apisto range I'm happy, especially if I can get a brood or two from her (assuming female) to work with on tank stocking

Andrew

 

[apistodave]

OK my two cents worth--all four are females! I have had females that were just as colorful as the males, including caudal coloration, and the difference was very miniscule. I have a way to tell them apart by checking the dorsal spikes and to me these all look like females,top one may be male but I dont think so.

 

[Konigwolf]

Well I removed the fish in the 3rd/4th pics and introduced a definate male to the tank (a 2' community tank where I've had blue rams spawn before) less than 3 hours later the fish I had thought as male, the one from the first two pics has spawned with the male, thank you all for the input

Andrew