Sexing L264?
Posted: 05 Jan 2016, 06:59
Hi, I have been reading and can't find what seems like a definitive answer to an observation that I have made, which has led to a question. I hope that someone can offer some opinions.
I bought two L264 two or three weeks ago. They are settling in nicely, becoming more comfortable with their surroundings so I have been able to observe them more in the last few days. I've noticed that there are some definite differences between the two, and wondering whether this may be indicative of sex with these guys. They are almost the identical length, which is between 3-3.5 inches TL (I realize that this alone may well mean that my question has answered itself because they may just be too young yet). But some distinct differences.
The first one has white tips on some of its fins, but not all of them, and the white tips are smaller relative to the fins. The base color is a slightly lighter grey. Its head seems longer, and both head and body look a bit flatter in profile. Its dorsal and caudal fins seem just slightly less erect. It has two sort of long protrusions on each side of its head, similar to a bn's bristle, I'm sorry but I can't think of a better term at the moment. When I say that these are 'long' this is relative, they are probably 1/4 or 1/3 of an inch long. Its body is covered in very tiny spines, which run in straight lines from its tail to its head. I'd say that it has 3-4 of these lines of spines on each side of its body.
The second one has significant white tips to each fin, a slightly darker base grey color, and a more compact sort of body and head shape, so that it appears just slightly more perky or alert. Its body seems to be smoother, with no really apparent odontades (sp?) or spines.
I'm going to try to attach a picture of each that I took this morning. They're not the most clear pictures in the world, and I apologize for that, but they were the best that I could get with my phone and I think you can see the differences that I outlined above.
Anyway, I was wondering whether perhaps I have a male and a female. Specifically, I thought that maybe the flatter one with less white may be male and the other female. But I know that they are young still, maybe far too young and small to sex at all, even as a wild guess. Or maybe the differences are due to an age difference, despite their size being the same. They are definitely wild caught, according to the seller they were QT for a few weeks after import, before I got them.
I bought two L264 two or three weeks ago. They are settling in nicely, becoming more comfortable with their surroundings so I have been able to observe them more in the last few days. I've noticed that there are some definite differences between the two, and wondering whether this may be indicative of sex with these guys. They are almost the identical length, which is between 3-3.5 inches TL (I realize that this alone may well mean that my question has answered itself because they may just be too young yet). But some distinct differences.
The first one has white tips on some of its fins, but not all of them, and the white tips are smaller relative to the fins. The base color is a slightly lighter grey. Its head seems longer, and both head and body look a bit flatter in profile. Its dorsal and caudal fins seem just slightly less erect. It has two sort of long protrusions on each side of its head, similar to a bn's bristle, I'm sorry but I can't think of a better term at the moment. When I say that these are 'long' this is relative, they are probably 1/4 or 1/3 of an inch long. Its body is covered in very tiny spines, which run in straight lines from its tail to its head. I'd say that it has 3-4 of these lines of spines on each side of its body.
The second one has significant white tips to each fin, a slightly darker base grey color, and a more compact sort of body and head shape, so that it appears just slightly more perky or alert. Its body seems to be smoother, with no really apparent odontades (sp?) or spines.
I'm going to try to attach a picture of each that I took this morning. They're not the most clear pictures in the world, and I apologize for that, but they were the best that I could get with my phone and I think you can see the differences that I outlined above.
Anyway, I was wondering whether perhaps I have a male and a female. Specifically, I thought that maybe the flatter one with less white may be male and the other female. But I know that they are young still, maybe far too young and small to sex at all, even as a wild guess. Or maybe the differences are due to an age difference, despite their size being the same. They are definitely wild caught, according to the seller they were QT for a few weeks after import, before I got them.