P. compta sexing help

[Melander]

Hi!

I moved my tank to another house yesterday and took the oportunity to take some pictures of my P. compta's. I would appreciate some help sexing these please.

There is alot of hairy ones and I have a rough idea but trust you guys more then myself. I hope that one is a girl.

Fish 1


Fish 2


Fish3


Fish 4


Thanks in advance!

Melander

[MatsP]

Going by headshape as well as "hairyness" on the back part of the body, the first appears to be female and the other three male.

--
Mats

[panaque]

I agree with Mats. With that kind of sex ratio you need to keep a close eye on them when (if) they start breeding because the males can fight like demons once one is sitting on a clutch in my experience. One of mine lost his entire tail fin, although it did grow back and the fish didn't seem too troubled by it all (I was though).

[davej]

Going by headshape as well as "hairyness" on the back part of the body, the first appears to be female and the other three male.

--
Mats

Agreed!

[Melander]

Thank you for the quick replies!

It is as I thought(hoped) then, at the moment I'm just happy that the female is a female and not a fat subdued male with lack of odontodes.

Would I be better off selling 1-2 of the males to minimize any future fights? I'm afraid it will we hard to find any sexed females where I am.

Melander