Sexing Macmasteri and its morph

[Devinh98]

I dont know what morph this is and im curious if its a subdominant male or a dominant female. I have another that isn't nearly as bright and is more timid. I'll provide photos of the latter when im home however this is the one im initially questioning

 

[MacZ]

It's a female and not of any particular strain or locailty.

 

[Devinh98]

It's a female and not of any particular strain or locailty.

Thanks now this is my other one and it was difficult for me to get a photo because it hides a whole lot

 

[KenL]

Definitely a female for me in the first pic. A better picture of the second fish showing the fins would help.

 

[MacZ]

Thanks now this is my other one and it was difficult for me to get a photo because it hides a whole lot

Pretty sure it's a male but in bad condition and probaby quite young.

 

[Devinh98]

Thanks now this is my other one and it was difficult for me to get a photo because it hides a whole lot

Real fast so far the female that you've identified has been very... "bossy" i know the females are the ones that exude dominant behavior and act territorial. However she swims openly and bullies the "male". Is this evidence of the male being sub dominant. I'm sorry for bothering you.

 

[Devinh98]

Definitely a female for me in the first pic. A better picture of the second fish showing the fins would help.

I'll try but hes been a pain to get a good photo

 

[Phil_1983]

If the fish in the second photo really is a male (looks like one, but as Mac said, bad conditioned) it might be the case that the female is trying to animate him to spawn. That sometimes does look like beeing bossy.

 

[MacZ]

If the fish in the second photo really is a male (looks like one, but as Mac said, bad conditioned) it might be the case that the female is trying to animate him to spawn. That sometimes does look like beeing bossy.

Exactly what I answered the OP via PM.

Also very important (although I am not concerned this being a problem here but who knows...) please try to drop any comparison to human behaviour. Yes, individual fish may be more or less aggessive than others, but many comparisons I've seen over the years like "the female is a really mean bully" are so far off and lead to things like putting single fish in a "time-out" until they "learned their lesson" which most often only does one thing: Stress the fish on a level that it becomes sick and even dies. Just as a PSA.

 

[anewbie]

Exactly what I answered the OP via PM.

Also very important (although I am not concerned this being a problem here but who knows...) please try to drop any comparison to human behaviour. Yes, individual fish may be more or less aggessive than others, but many comparisons I've seen over the years like "the female is a really mean bully" are so far off and lead to things like putting single fish in a "time-out" until they "learned their lesson" which most often only does one thing: Stress the fish on a level that it becomes sick and even dies. Just as a PSA.

None sense - everyone knows fishes are just like humans. They have friends and enemies - they have fellow fishes they love to hang out with and others they avoid like the plague. Rumor is if you catch them late at night they even do algebra; but don't try to get them to do your homework they do things their own way.

 

[MacZ]

None sense - everyone knows fishes are just like humans. They have friends and enemies - they have fellow fishes they love to hang out with and others they avoid like the plague. Rumor is if you catch them late at night they even do algebra; but don't try to get them to do your homework they do things their own way.

I have seen things...

 

[Devinh98]

If the fish in the second photo really is a male (looks like one, but as Mac said, bad conditioned) it might be the case that the female is trying to animate him to spawn. That sometimes does look like beeing bossy.

Bad conditioned? Like poor breeding? I've heard that some locally bred fish in the US suffer from inbreeding and other reproductive caused problems.

 

[MacZ]

I rather think it's lost in translation, as Phil lives in the same german state as me. I presume he means "in bad condition".

And I would agree. It's really thin and the colours are all but vibrant. The way it holds its fins also fits the bill. I think the fish was either already sick or has gotten sick after the female started being overly aggressive.

I've heard that some locally bred fish in the US suffer from inbreeding and other reproductive caused problems.

Yes but here not the problem.

 

[Devinh98]

I rather think it's lost in translation, as Phil lives in the same german state as me. I presume he means "in bad condition".

And I would agree. It's really thin and the colours are all but vibrant. The way it holds its fins also fits the bill. I think the fish was either already sick or has gotten sick after the female started being overly aggressive.


Yes but here not the problem.

Oh okay not a problem. And yeah my lfs that I purchased it said I can swap it if its a subdominant male so I may just take that leeway and say it was in hopes that they have a healthy male

 

[Phil_1983]

I rather think it's lost in translation, as Phil lives in the same german state as me. I presume he means "in bad condition".

And I would agree. It's really thin and the colours are all but vibrant. The way it holds its fins also fits the bill. I think the fish was either already sick or has gotten sick after the female started being overly aggressive.


Yes but here not the problem.

Yes, absolutely what I meant. The fish looks rather thin to me. But this might be due to the picture.

 

[Devinh98]

Yes, absolutely what I meant. The fish looks rather thin to me. But this might be due to the picture.

I believe it was sick I took advice at my lfs and they noticed a sunken belly so they think it might be a parasite so I returned it and purchased a larger male who's exuding really nice red and blue specks on his cheek

 

[Phil_1983]

I believe it was sick I took advice at my lfs and they noticed a sunken belly so they think it might be a parasite so I returned it and purchased a larger male who's exuding really nice red and blue specks on his cheek

Cool! I am really glad that it worked out for you. Sounds like a nice fish you got there.

Just in case it was a parasite, I'd keep an eye on the female too. It might be nothing, but since they were together for a while, the other fish could have been affected as well.