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I would like to try to sex my wormline plecs (peckoltia braueri). I was able to take vent shots of one of them today. I saw the most amazing thing...the genital papillia (sp?) would fill, unfill with air or fluid or something. It looked like it was pulsating. The pictures are taken about a second apart so you can get the idea of what it looked like it was doing.
Is anyone able to help me sex this particular one? I'll try to get shots of the others when I can.







Their max size is 5.2 inches. They are currently about 2.5 inches. Is the vent photo ok to sex by, or does a close up/full body shot help? I'll try to get whatever is needed to sex these little ones as I only get to keep 2 and would like to try to keep a male/female pair.

They are a little small to sex in a easy way but as you can see on your own pic which are a young male that their genital papilla is elongated and pointed when the females are rounder.
My pic could be better but it gives you the idea how they should look like.



Janne

Thank you for your reply.

I'm not exactly sure which the pictures you posted are of though. Males/female?

So you're thinking mine is a male?

If you look closer you will discover the male at right and the female in left, yes your first pic shows a male and the other could also be males but are to small to be sure without looking on their genital papilla.

Janne

You are awesome!

Thank you for the clarification. Now I can study and compare the pictures. Time to do some sex ed class!

Hm...depending from which view but looking from the fish on you...the male are at right so we avoid any missunderstandings

Janne

Thanks.

I got shots of the other plecs. I believe that plec 3 is a female and plec 2 is a male. Plec 3 is a bit bigger than plec 1 and 2. Plec 3 seems wider, so I'm thinking maybe full of eggs?


Plec1

Plec2

Plec3

Plec1

Plec2

Plec3

Yes you are right, you have 2 males and 1 female...take one male away and give the pair a small cave, change water often and they will soon show interest to breed and hopefully do that in the end.

Janne

Thank you so much for all of your help.

Pleco #2 went to it's new home today. My friend has been waiting until we could get them sexed.
#1 and #3 are in my krib grow out tank with about 50+ juveniles. They get fed 4+ times per day, power feeding to get the babies grown out. The kribs are now 3 months old. They get an assortment of foods: Flake, bloodworm, brineshrimp, bioblend herbivore, algae wafers, and zucchini. The tank is a 25 gallon tall tank with a 200 aquaclear. I do a 5 gallon (20%) water change daily. The tank gets vaccuumed once per week. The ph is 6.8 and the temp is 78. As soon as the kribs go to the fish store I'll make sure the plecs have a nice cave and keep doing the daily water changes that I've already been doing.

For now, they have a really nice log with Xmas moss on the top and tons of little tunnels in it.