Sexing cacatoos

[IDMiamiBob@aol.com]

I have a tank with about forty A. cacatuoides "triple red" fry from a spawn 
in January.  they are up around the 3/4 inch (19mm) range and several young 
males are coloring up quite nicely.  One even has the extensions on his 3rd 
and 4th dorsal rays pretty much in full development.  My problem is that a 
couple of fish that are a touch bigger than this "alpha" male are also 
coloring up, but not nearly as much as the other males in the tank.

The dame has a small amount of color in the dorsal, especially when she is in 
brood dress, but not nearly as much as these two.  They have limited amounts 
of color through the length of the dorsal and the anal, as well as a large 
blotch of red in the caudal.  They are also showing very intense black in the 
forward half on the pectorals, a dark, heavy lateral line, and a very large 
cheek stripe.  These black markings are typical of what I associate with 
females, but the red in the fins is more male.

As this is a "selected color" strain, my intuitive guess is that maybe these 
fish are going one more step in the enchanced red thing.  Anyone else willing 
to make a guess/suggestion?  If these are females, then I am going to set 
them aside with the alpha male and see what happens.

Bob Dixon


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