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RE: Aplocheilichthys Katangae
Brian Perkins wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any insight on how to sex these guys? Mine all look
> identical except I'm starting to get viable eggs!
>
Both have the irregular black longitudinal band on the body but this is
often clearer on the female than it is on the male, especially as they
mature. The only really obvious color on the body of the females is an
elongate blue "patch" along the lower rear part of the body, from the
abdomen rearwards; however, males also show this so it doesn't really help
much for distinguishing the sexes. The most useful distinguishing feature is
the color of the unpaired fins - these are essentially colorless in the
female but yellow in the male. Mature males are also markedly deeper bodied
than the females, which are quite slender. The unpaired fins of the male are
larger than those of the female, most noticeably in the case of the anal
fin. Mature males develop an overall yellow and blue iridescence on the body
which makes it easy to distinguish males from females. This iridescence can
be quite strong, to the point where the black band appears to fade.
__________________________________________
Brian R. Watters
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada
Ph: (306) 584-9161 (home); (306) 585-4663 (work)
Fax: (306) 585-5433
E-mail: bwatters at sk_sympatico.ca
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