sexing juvenile apistogramma cacatuoides

[kaku]

I need help sexing all 3 of these fish they are juvenile cacatuoides and 2 of them are showing aggression. The place I bought them from accidentally gave me 3 and now pic 2 and pic 3 are being aggressive. Can you help me sex them and tell me what I should do?

 

[Mike Wise]

Yes, they are immature and not perfectly sexable.

 

[kaku]

Should I still separate them though?
Thanks

 

[Mike Wise]

I think that the excessive aggression is probably due to too much open space and not enough hiding places. In these cases I keep a 3"/7.5cm, ½"/1.25cm diameter piece of floating (PBS) pipe in the tank. If the fish finds sanctuary in it, it is time to remove the fish.

 

[kaku]

okay cool, thanks for the reply I will try something like that and see how they react. if one of them does take refuge though should i remove the one causing the aggression (pic 3) or the one with the yellow (pic 2) because the one with the yellow seems to try and get (suspected female - pic 1) away from the fish making the aggression and then sort of protects them.

Would PVC pipes work as well or is they like a toxic coating on them?

 

[kaku]

this is a picture from bunnings about the PVC pipe i was looking at but i don't know if you can get anything from it. i added it just in case it could help.

 

[Mike Wise]

PVC sinks, PBS floats, so PVC doesn't work for this. I do use PVC pieces as bottom hiding places in quarantine and grow-out tanks. It is easier to remove than other aquascaping when catching fish.

Any apisto that hides at the surface of a tank is one that has lost in the struggle for territory and should be removed. If the aggressor turns on the other fish, well it is time to switch and see what happens. Note that females tend to be more aggressive toward other female than do males with males.

 

[Ben Rhau]

I couldn’t find any PBS pipe, but it’s easy to find plastic film canisters (online) which are made of HDPE. They float.

 

[kaku]

Thanks I will try and see if I can float pvc with fishing line and fishing floats and then follow your advice

 

[Mike Wise]

I'm sorry, it's not PBS - but ABS. This is black pipe that can be found in any hardware store.

 

[kaku]

I just had a look PVC is the only ones they have in that size so will attach it to something to float it.
Thanks.

 

[Mike Wise]

Strange, here in the US ABS is used in plumbing most lawn sprinkler systems.

 

[kaku]

Yeah thanks for your help though I will try and do something like that soon.

 

[kaku]

I have added something similar to the tank and I'm just wondering if I remove the one causing the aggression or the one seeking refuge?
the smallest one is the one taking refuge by the way. one more question. so the one causing the aggression (suspected female) has been shaking their caudal fin at the suspected male and then he will shake it back then followed by like a spin to which the suspected female chases him off. is this courting or are they like marking their territories?

 

[MacZ]

Remove the submissive fish.
The behaviour is aggression, not courting.

 

[kaku]

sorry I'm a bit confused.
So do I remove the smallest one that's taking refuge or the the suspected male who shakes his caudal back at the suspected female because they it doesn't seem like they are being aggressive anymore they are sort of sticking together now.

 

[MacZ]

Actually I'm confused now. By spinning you mean circling around each other, right? That would be fighting, then.
I'd usually remove the fish that gets the short end of the stick.

Probably it's the way you describe it that makes it hard to grasp. Many of us here are used to certain terms to describe behaviours.

So they are waving their caudals against each other? Up to that point it could be courting.
If the female moves on, still waving here and there and the male follows: Still courting.
If they start circling around each other they are fighting. The losing fish then tries to escape. If a female does that to a male she's either rejecting him or there has already been a spawn and she wants him out of her territory.
The fact that you know say they stay together is the confusing part. Although, well, it's not impossible they changed their minds.

And you have one fish that's pushed into hiding: That one has to be moved.

 

[kaku]

ok thanks I will give it to a mate and by the way you described it they are courting but they are still juveniles about 1 1/2 inches or 3.5 cm. the female also has gotten fatter around the belly sort of how bettas look like when they have eggs. the pair seem to not be aggressive anymore but when they are together they are together the male is very protective of her. I'll just see what happens but for now I will just assume they are courting. another thing I have noticed though is that the male tries to push her into the back corner and then defends her from the other fish.
edit: so i have also noticed that the female isn't aggressive anymore it's the male and if the male shakes his caudal and the female doesn't he will chase her off but when she does he is fine with her and he gets protective over her.