Why is it so hard to find females sometimes??

davidkozak · Post by **davidkozak** » 21 Jul 2004, 07:05

Sorry about the title-I realized how ridiculous it sounded after I typed it but couldn't think of anything better...
I've been waiting patiently for my local LFS to get some L260 in so I could get a couple more females...They got 10 in today, which seemed like quite a few to me(they usually only get a handful of each type of the more expensive plecos) After looking at the belly of each of them,(the only way I know of making an educated guess-females have no pattern on belly) only two were female and the rest were males....In another tank, they had some wild bristlenose that had just come in-they were 3-4 inches, therefore easily sexable--ALL MALES....
Do other people notice this at the LFS, or is it just my rotten luck that mine get's the bottom of the barrel from distributors??
david

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 21 Jul 2004, 11:46

there's a few mechanisms at work here too.

first: many catchers believe that the "hairy ones" are a different species; when asked to catch "bristlenoses" they don't put in females.

second: there's a "trend" to keep people from breeding fish...the best way to accomplish this is to import/sell only one sex....bad practice, but it happens a LOT; famous examples are Betta macrostoma from Brunei, several Rainbowfish-species and ...L numbers.

third: many LFS aren't that smart either; they know their customers want "bristlenoses" so that's what they're going to sell to them.

I've seen the same thing happening over here too.
frustrating.

10 Rhineloricaria latirostris turned up in Belgium; only 2 females; guess who has then now!

davidkozak · Post by **davidkozak** » 22 Jul 2004, 17:59

sidguppy wrote: 10 Rhineloricaria latirostris turned up in Belgium; only 2 females; guess who has then now!

I'm guessing that would be you...

I try and get to the store the day they get the fish in, that way I can pick and choose..
david

Jeff B. · Post by **Jeff B.** » 22 Jul 2004, 21:03

well i have a diffrent problem... i was having trouble to find males

finnaly one juvi turned up to be a male... and just before i was trying to sell/trade him!

females are very common in my lfs... maybe that is cuz we don't have so much wildcoughts...

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 23 Jul 2004, 17:25

One of the primary problems with Ancistrine plecos is, that from a fairly early age the males are more prone to hide in caves (caves that they may have had to fight for, and defend) and are therefore easier to catch than the females.

Females do hide in caves/driftwood snags but are much more likely to abandon it at the slightest disturbance and are thereby less likely to land in the fish catcher's nets.