PlanetCatfish.com

Hi friends,

would love to know the sex of the following L134. I know one of them is a male for sure, how about the other 2?

Thanks

All Three L134'S


Male L134(I think)


Unknown #1


Unknown #1



Unknown #2

I agree the "male" one is definitely male. The two others do not show signs of being male, but they are not really showing signs of being female either.

A clear photo of each of the two fish individually from above against a light background would help.

--
Mats

It think one is obvious male. But males which are not not dominant and females of the same age, are often difficult to sex with 100% accuracy. I agree with MatsP than better photos would help. I like to see the group I am trying to sex from above next to each other in a small container.
What I look for is a relative difference in the size of the pectoral fin spines. Males tend to be thicker than females even if their odontodal spines are not well developed.
Healthy females tend to begin to broaden just ahead of the base of the pectoral spines and on back. In plan view, the males tend to have a "V" shaped taper. In plan view, the females tend to have a bulge near the beginning of the pectoral fin base and further towards their tail.
This is how I do a quick assessment of the sexes in a group of the same age and size fish.
I have many(~75) adult L134 I am about to attempt to sex as I am setting up several new breeding colonies of 3 year old F1 L134.
I think I am correct only about 70% of the time but that is better than a coin toss.
I don't think anyone can do too much better than that on the fly because the L134 are not very easy to sex using visual cues except for well developed dominant males. My guess is the chances are pretty good that you have a trio.
I have not yet had any L134 with as much dark markings as that one fish you show but no two L134 patterns are identical and I have seen photos of some which had been sorted in Manaus, Brazil for their relative little dark markings giving them mostly yellow bodies. I think in a decade or two, breeders will selectively breed an aquarium strain which is mostly yellow but it will take years of selective breeding to accomplish that goal but I don't doubt that some mostly yellow L134 will exist someday.
The longer fish are bred in captivity, the more influence of the choices made by breeders show up.
Right now just breeding enough to supply to demand for tank raised fish is the primary goal but goals change over time.