Re: Sexing A. Nijsseni

[Doug Brown <debrown@kodak.com>]

>> 	Question to other apistophiles:  the sexing method I mention above
>> seems to work well for many spp. I'm familiar with, but I'd like to know
>> with which spp. this technique wouldn't be helpful.
>
>Quite a lot especially if you are looking at young fish or
>those in unsuitable conditions in a shop tank where their
>colour pales. A lot of young fish look very similar in
>terms of colouration.

This is the problem! Hence the need to look at finnage. I am getting a
little better at it. The ventral fin differences are still the best way to
sex very small apistos IMO.

>Regarding the black ventral fins most (all?) females show
>the black colour when spawning but not neccessarily at
>other times.

The black in the ventrals of females from cacatuoides-like apistos (for
one) is a very useful distinction. I was able to get a m/f pair out of a
big tank of virtually identical small luelingi using this.

- -Doug Brown
debrown@kodak.com