My group of aurantimaculata

[Joao M]

Any pic's of the female or pair together ?

Devon
I took these yestesday. Had to use the cell phone because didn´t have my camera around.
Very blurry pics, but it´s all I have atm.
Bigger one is what we´ve been calling male; smaller one should be female (or they are two very friendly males...)

likely female?

 

[-DC-]

Hey, thought i already replied to this one... I'm really second guessing myself on them now...

After seeing these pic's of the pair together I'd say the larger looks female to me (with a nice blue band on the dorsal by the way) and the the smaller an immature male who just hasn't developed the wide blue stripe on top yet. It's so hard to say from pic's though, especially when young.

 

[Joao M]

Devon,

You just mixed everything I took for... likely. LOL

Adding a couple mote pics to see if it helps

Smaller one (head detail with and w/out flash)



Bigger one (head and - blurry - dorsal fin)




You still go with the second guess?

The only bad scenario would be a "pair of friendly males" .... One of each sex is good regardless of which is which

 

[-DC-]

The only bad scenario would be a "pair of friendly males" .... One of each sex is good regardless of which is which

LOL... perhaps i shouldn't guess again then , that last pic makes me think our right the arch in that fish's fin , and body head shape all male , who's just a bit chunky around the face probably get's the loins share of the food being bigger or perhaps he's puffing up to put on a show a bit. lol

The smaller one i couldn't tell from those pic's, can you get a side shot like that last one of the smaller fish ?

 

[-DC-]

Went back through all the pic's,

I'm pretty confident i was mistaken when I flip flopped earlier, I'm confident your correct in your genders, Bigger ones the male ,smaller is female.

The size difference when they are together through me off so used to seeing big females with littler males and also you have a heavy set male and a lean female, Likely just a result of the male being bigger in the first place and getting a bit more food as a result. But this makes some shots of the males head /body ratio look female and visa versa.

lol tricky buggers to sex in photo's, sorta frustrating lol I swear in person i can spot the genders on them in a second , but in pic's not so easy.

 

[Joao M]

Good news!
Thanks again Devon

I will try to make a video anyway because in the pics as you say depends on the moment/movement they capture.
You are right as regards the food. The big guy eats whole mussels from day 3 while the smaller only eats zophoba and ocasionally earthworms (when I find them).
I keep a 3rd auranti (separated) that I am confident is a female (shape and temperament). In the few hours "test drive" the 3 where together, that 3rd and the small one attacked each other with violence (extreme violence) while the big guy just couldn't care less. That also lead me to believe i had a big male and 2 smaller females

 

[Joao M]

can you get a side shot like that last one of the smaller fish ?

Sure:

 

[Pedro Cruz]

Miguel you are crasier than I thought!
Good luck!

 

[-DC-]

How are they doing now Joao ?

 

[Joao M]

Devon,
They're co-habiting without issues. The suposed female (smaller) is giving me a hard time as regards feeding. Only eats zophobas...
Other than that...everything goes smoothly.