sexing these buggers

[firemouthman198]

i have been trying to figure this out for a while now and i am thinking they are a pair because they are usually around the same area. they sometimes go across tank from eachother though. just some help please.

#1

[firemouthman198]

keyhole #2

[Rex Karr]

Sorry, I'm no help........ just stopped by to say nice fish.

[firemouthman198]

lol thats ok rexx and thanks for the compliments. but i would love to know. #1 has the larger looking hump on his head. which is supposed to suggest a male, but it also has less pointy anal and caudal fins than #2. well just thought id add that as help to. anyone help me please? woul love to hae some fry!!


*edit* ohhh and they are about 2-1/2 - 3" each.

[josh_shilling]

I'd put 75% chance on it that #1 is male #2 is female. Keyholes are somewhat hard to sex. The last pair I had, the female had long fin extensions, but the male had longer, and the steeper forehead. You can probably see a little fatter abdomen after a heavy feeding in the female.

[NEO_72]

I'll say that fin extensions on females can be impressively long! My g/f has three confirmed females (all seen laying eggs). Their extensions are much longer than I'd expect. Never seen a confirmed male to compare them too though...We moved one of hers (the mean one) to my place for the time being, and the fish is now sharing quarters with some barbs - her extensions have been cropped. Just mentioning that so you'll consider the tankmates before judging the extensions.

[firemouthman198]

ah cool thanks fo the response. im very happy if tehy are m/f supposedly keyholes are hard to get to breed. i would be very happy if htey did. well thanks guys

[autoxevo]

let us know if you get a spawn! (especially cause I'd want some hehe)