Sexing Apisto Borelli Opal

[FerrisCat]

Hi!

New to the group and Apistos! My local fish store has some opals but struggling to sex these two. They look quite juvenile but both look like males to me (from descriptions on line). Any help gratefully received

 

[Mike Wise]

Size?

 

[FerrisCat]

Larger of the two with more color on cheeks is about 3.5cms

 

[FerrisCat]

Size?

Larger one in the front of the shot is 3.5cms

 

[Mike Wise]

Still too small for me to accurately sex. If they are yours, give them some time to grow up and sex out. If you want to buy a pair from juvenile stock you could do as I do. I buy 6 or more juveniles. Statistically you will get a 96% guarantee of at least one of each sex - if the original pool of fish is 50/50. I always hedge my bet by buying 2 large, 2 medium and 2 small (but not smallest) fish. Expensive? Yes, but one can always sell those that you don't want.

 

[DaS54]

I would say, by my recent experience with sexing Opals as well, that bottom fish is 100% a male. My female only has very subtle value markings by the chin/ throat area, while the male, majority of time, is blue throughout the whole body, with yellow markings on the fins.