can you tell the sex of my queen arabesque? pictures updated

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 02 Dec 2005, 18:25

Any chances you can sex my queen based on this picture? I didn't manage to take a better one so far...

Thanks,
Wim

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 02 Dec 2005, 18:30

The best pictures for sexing fish is one from above and one from below. If you can get a clear plastic container to hold the fish for a short period, that's usually the best way. Alternatively, hold the fish with your hands...

A close-up is better, but it's OK if you take a "BIG" picture with a high Megapixel camera and crop [cut off the unintersting bits aroundt he fish] it down to around 0.5 Megapixel - 600 x 400 pixel or so. If you have a picture that is much larger than that, it's going to be reduced by Rusty's magical resizing software anyways, so it won't show bigger. So if you have a real close-up that covers 2000 x 3000 pixels, re-size it to 400 x 600 pixels or some such.

--
Mats

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 02 Dec 2005, 18:54

Ok, so no chances to sex them based on this picture? I'll try to get some better pictures this weekend...

One more thing: I read on the site that female L260 tend to have a white belly. Well, both the fish have a somewhat marbled belly, does this mean per definition that they are both male? The one fish clearly has much larger cheek odontodes than the other one, the one I think is female (this is the one on the picture).

Regards,
Wim

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 02 Dec 2005, 19:29

One more thing: I read on the site that female L260 tend to have a white belly. Well, both the fish have a somewhat marbled belly, does this mean per definition that they are both male?

Having handled several dozen of these animals I would have to say that this is false.

If anything the marks on the belly are more evident on the more dominant fish, not necessarily the sex of the fish in question. I have seen very large fish that were clearly females that also displayed these marks.

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 02 Dec 2005, 19:42

Ok, pturley, thanks for the reply. If I see the fish, everything seems to indicate that they are a male and female, but then I'm afraid that my observations could be quite biased since, of course, I want to see a pair in them...

Hope to have better pictures in the next few days...

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » 03 Dec 2005, 12:39

I'm reading this topic with interest, as I also have a L260QA in my South America community tank. I also don't have a clue whether it's male or female, but making a picture of it aint easy! (But I keep on trying)

Good luck Wim, regards Ruud

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 03 Dec 2005, 17:22

Hello all, I did manage to take useful pictures today (I think). Depending on these pictures, I also have a pretty good idea of what sexes my fish are ... I don't want to influence your opinions but I am pretty much convinced now that hey are male and female... What do you think?

MatsP: Thanks for the tip to use a plastic container.

Pictures:

Post by **Barbie** » 03 Dec 2005, 19:07

That appears to be a pair to me. Now all you need is some good food, clean water, and a cave the right shape and you're in business! Congratulations

.

Barbie

laurab5 · Post by **laurab5** » 03 Dec 2005, 22:02

Yes i would say a pair to. i wish i could find a female that is that obvious to sex. are you planning to breed them

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 04 Dec 2005, 12:06

Thanks for the comments! Laurab: an experienced eye always sees more than a beginners' eye... That's why I needed your opinions.

Well, let's say that I that I am planning to try to breed them

At the moment they are in a 90liter tank together with 1 male and 4 female ancistrus and 6 cory's. I still don't know what I should do: replacing them in a tank of their own or trying to breed them in the tank together with the ancistrus. Suggestions are always welcome, as well as suggestions about food and cave sizes

As food for them I have: soaked regular and spirulina flakes, pleco tabs, spirulina tabs and frozen bloodworm, artemia and something that is called cyclops in english, I think.

laurab5 · Post by **laurab5** » 04 Dec 2005, 12:53

Place them in there own 10 gallon

Warrior · Post by **Warrior** » 04 Dec 2005, 15:58

Looking at your pictures, budgieman, I am pretty sure mine is a male.

I am a bit curious about the colours of your QA's, as the white stripes on your pair seems a bit brownish, while on mine they are very white. Is this fake, because of the camera or picture, or is it something like stress because they are in a plastic container!

Cheers from the Netherlands, Ruud

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 04 Dec 2005, 17:14

If the fish are in the aquarium, the stripes are indeed a lot whiter. I guess this could have something to do with stress indeed. The first picture in the thread was taken a few minutes after I introduced them to the tank.
But also, the white of the container is very white, this could make the stripes come out a lot more brownish compared to when you see the same fish in the aquarium against a much darker background...

Greetz in the Netherlands,

Wim

Post by **Barbie** » 04 Dec 2005, 19:09

I'd recommend a tank of their own. I would go larger than a 10 gallon if you have one available, but a 10 gallon tank will work, if pressed. They are going to like the water warmer for conditioning than your ancistrus will appreciate. If you do a forum search of my posts, you will find a detailed experience of how I got my first baby L260s. Good luck with yours!

Barbie

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 04 Dec 2005, 23:01

Hello Barbie: I'll try to find that posts. There should also be a breeding report of L260 on planetcatfish, but when I click on the link, the link seems to be dead...

worton[pl] · Post by **worton[pl]** » 05 Dec 2005, 09:42

Hey,

<a href="http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworl ... .PHP">here you are</a>

It's Shane's World->Reproduction->Breeding Hypancistrus sp. Queen Arabesque L260.

However you are right some of the links that I can find using Search option from menu above are dead :( (maybe I'm searching for wrong fish ;))

Regards.

Budgieman · Post by **Budgieman** » 05 Dec 2005, 18:39

Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Wim