help sexing these 2 groups of L-236 RB line

[catfishmelao]

Hello - I am asking for your experience and knowledge here to help me identify (if possible of course) the sex of this group of L236 RB line.
The first picture with only 3 L-236 are 2 males and a females according to the seller, and the second picture with a group of 6 L-236 are only males according to the seller. Could you please help me here to corroborate this.
I understand if you can't then no problem in that case.
Thanks
Melao

[catfishmelao]

It seems I have made a question that nobody is able to answer. Can someone please let me know if there is a different group or chat where I can post this question and get a possible answer at least saying "sorry, I can't determine the sex from the posted picture"
Thanks
Melao

[aquaholic]

If your trying to breed, the best advice I have is to buy both groups (and more) giving you the chance to sort for quality, personality and sex by behaviour and interaction over time and which I find more reliable than external differences.

Having a bigger breeding pool saves you a lot of time overall and improves your breeding success hugely. Unless you kill the fish, you can resell the ones you discard. I prefer to grow out from small as often you are buying someone's grown out rejects.

The only caveat is that it's best to single source your fish to reduce the chances of different variants getting mixed in.

[catfishmelao]

Thank you aquaholic. I agree with you on buying a group increases your chances, however sometimes some breeders tend to sell everything of same sex and the only reason that I can think about it is that those sellers/breeders won't want others to be able to reproduce them (there are a some videos on YouTube about this topic from people affected). My objective is not to breed now, however I do not want to end in the future with every fish of same sex neither. I tend to buy everything from the same seller (I and others have plenty of confidence about him) to avoid different type of sickness that you are at more risk to get when you source from different sellers despite your quarantine process, also due to the same reason you mentioned about possible getting mixed species, however sometimes the species I want are not available from my trusted seller and I need to look outside of my comfort zone.

[emanuel]

Even though I've been breeding this species for a while, I'm not very good at distinguishing males from females. But we're all here to learn, so I try to bet my two cents, in case someone more knowledgeable than me, corrects me.

I see many females and few males, in the first photo I am 100% sure of the male and the female at the top and the male at the bottom, I have a big doubt about the specimen on the left that I marked as male, but it could be female.
In the second photo I find it even more difficult, to me they always seem rather round shapes, typical of females, but maybe I'm wrong. We await the intervention of a more expert user on the subject

[catfishmelao]

Thank you Emanuel - Apparently no body else wants to give an opinion on this matter. So sad.
I personally thought that it was going to be a good learning path not only for me but for many people in this group if many others were adding their opinions.
I really appreciate your input and want to personally thank you for helping new members without experience like myself. At the end, the is one of the purpose of this forum, I believe so.
Big Thanks!
Melao

[aquaholic]

I hope you didn't skip over my advice about the best way to sex fish is their behaviour. Especially interactions with another fish of a known sex.

Spending lengthy time is next best as fish shapes and body profiles can change dramatically from minute to minute. Trying to sex fish from a photo is less accurate than vent sexing which is also often unreliable. Speaking as someone who regularly canulates and hormone induces fish.

[Scleromystax]

Thank you Emanuel - Apparently no body else wants to give an opinion on this matter. So sad.

You are a new member and you waited one day before complaining no one replied. Wow, just wow. Who else owes you an answer? What else do you think you are entitled to?

The way this forum tends to work if that when an authoritative answer is given we don't spam the topic with a lot of "me too" and other trivia. If someone disagrees then that can lead to a debate. But, in this case, you've got a great answer and lots of other help and advice and no one disagrees.

If you want 100 replies agreeing with your point of view, I hear Facebook is quite useful.

Beard

[catfishmelao]

I hope you didn't skip over my advice about the best way to sex fish is their behaviour. Especially interactions with another fish of a known sex.

Spending lengthy time is next best as fish shapes and body profiles can change dramatically from minute to minute. Trying to sex fish from a photo is less accurate than vent sexing which is also often unreliable. Speaking as someone who regularly canulates and hormone induces fish.

@aquaholic
No, of course I did not skip your advice. It is just that in this particular case I was trying to get help before I decide to buy them, so I can't really follow your advice about behaviour on this particular case but that does not mean I won't do that when I have the opportunity. The only thing I have with me is the picture I was provided with to make a decision of buying them depending of the males and females ratio.
I appreciate your feedback as always.
Cheers!
Melao