# Boy or Girl



## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

Its not the best photo but can you tell which it is.










When I bought them the store owner sold me a pair, but one of them died. I'm not sure which one is left. I want to have a pair again.
Thanks,
Steve T.


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## cpc1007 (Sep 21, 2004)

It looks like a .....woman...)


Should be a mature female.


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks
Thats the answer I wanted to hear. The store where I bought them only has males left. Is it the rounded anal fin and lack of color that makes it a girl?
Steve T.


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## Error (Apr 16, 2004)

neonfish3 said:


> Thanks
> Thats the answer I wanted to hear. The store where I bought them only has males left. Is it the rounded anal fin and lack of color that makes it a girl?
> Steve T.


Both of these are fairly diagnostic traits of female cichlids in general.

She looks in excellent health, what are you feeding? You'd better get her bred quick


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## timdz (Mar 31, 2005)

The rounded dorsal fin and overall appearance compared to male apisto's would make me feel very confident in considering it a female. Also the lack of an extended dorsal fin up front.

I am curious as to your opinions on why the other one died. Next time you pick out a pair of dwarf cichlids I believe you should make the employee pick the exact fish you want. Observing dwarf cichlids in a stores display tank you should be able to easily pick out the dominant male, and make sure you purchase him with a / the female or none at all. Subdominant males can often times be starved from the aggression of the dominant male..... 

Also make sure your LFS quarantines their new fish. Apisto's are known to ship poorly so making sure they have been healthy at the store for at least a week is important to me. From my experience, I would feed newly acquired dwarf cichlids frozen food at least twice a day.. while realizing the impact on the nitrogen compounds. Fish die /succumb to infections from stress.. which increases needed caloric intake and the quality of it.

best regards,
tim


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

IMO it depends on the species of apisto that you're working with. Many undeveloped males look like females and the only tell-tale signs is the yellow body and body markings in many cases. Although it has been awhile since I've worked with apistos, what species of apisto is it? 

David


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks for all the replies:


> She looks in excellent health, what are you feeding?


I'm feeding Tetra tetramin, Wardley total color, frozen bloodworms, and live brine shrimp. 


> I am curious as to your opinions on why the other one died.


The other one died along with many other fish when my son had a sleep-over party with 3 rambunctious boys. One of them played with the needle valve, that I didn't notice till morning. I lost 4 green neons,4 Serpae tetras, 3 SAE, and 1 apisto. 


> and make sure you purchase him with a / the female or none at all.


None at all of what? no fish, no male, or no female.
Is it best to have a 1:1 ratio?


> what species of apisto is it?


Apistogramma borellii

Steve T.


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## david lim (Mar 30, 2004)

I thought it was a borellii. It must be a female then . Nice picture btw.

David


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

*Got a Boy!*










Got a boy to go with my girl. 
I think they're in Love already! In the pic he was showing off to her. Didn't like me being there either,.....would charge the front of the tank when I would try to take pics. Lots of attitude!!! Very comical to watch, He will go strait vertical and flare, shimmy and shake in front of her.
Any tips on breading in a 55 gal. community tank?

I have 12x serpae tetras, 6x green neon's, 6x red-line rasboras, 2x cherry barbs, 3x ottos,1x botia lochata and a butterfly pleco. (highly stocked, now that I count them up)
Any chance of fry surviving in there?

Steve T.


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## cpc1007 (Sep 21, 2004)

Since Apistos like to spawn in holes, I would throw in a small bowl/pot for them.
However, given your tank is highly stocked with other fish, it's kind of hard for the parents to do their breeding job. And you probably will have problem feeding the babies with this much tetras/rasboras around. Therefore, I wouldn't expect a success of breeding your Apisto in the community tank.


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

*I Have Babies*










I HAVE BABIES
Sometimes you don't have to do anything at all!
I noticed the female was missing for the last week, not even coming out to feed. I was getting a little worried, but hoping. Sure enough when I was doing my water change today I saw her with the most intense yellow coloring and a school of fry under her. YAHOO!! She was guarding them ferociously, not letting any other fish near. Even picking up snails and moving them. 
It was a great site to see.
I haven't had any egg layers spawn in a very long time.
My water conditions are less then optimal for spawning apisto's Just tested today...Ph 7.4, Kh 11, GH 18 wow.....
I don't know if there's any chance they will live. Guess I'm going to have to set up another tank for another spawn try.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Wow, congrats! Beautiful pic too.  

The parents do a pretty good job of guarding the babies, so they will probably be okay since you don't have any huge fish in there.

Better get a batch of BBS brewing.


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

MoM








Dad








Babies
Seems as though I can link a pic from another site. Just can't upload from my computer to my Gallery here.
These I took the day after the last pic. She moved the fry right to the front of the tank for me to watch them. Both parents are very good about watching over the fry. She stays close to them, he watches the perimeter. If the fry stray to far away she'll pick them up in her mouth and spit them back in the group of fry. That was a SCARY site to see, till I figured out what she was doing!

Nikon coolpix 5400 f/4, 1/60, ISO 100, shutter priorty, spot metered


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