Rainbowfish - how to tell the gender?

[AJinNY]

I have some rainbowfish in my tank.

Not very colorful yet so I asked the peeps at the lfs if they were male and if so, when will the colors intensify.

Here is what I was told:

1.) They cant always guarantee when they get these fish, but they are sure a few are most probably male.

2.) The males with the reddish fins are typically male and the yellowish fins are female.

3.) if theres a checkered pattern on the fish its usually male.

I asked when the males color will intensify.
For example, I have 3 boesemani and they look dull. He asked how big they were and told me when they get larger the colors will be beautiful.
I was told if the water conditions are good, give them a chance to grow and the colors will come in time.
But are we talking weeks, months, years?

Right now the fish look bland....but closeup you do see SOME color.

 

[PEMfish]

What kind of fish?

 

[sasquatch]

I think they are Tropheus Paul, sexing wont be really possible till they get older, vent examinations may help, heres a cichlid forum with some good threads Cichlid-Forum :: Index

 

[RyanG]

AJ how big are your fish, how long have you had them and what is their surrounding like? If they are stressed they will lose their color.(Nitrate problems, overfeeding, or recent move) When they hit 2 inches the difference will definately be able to sex them, also the males tand to be a touch dominant and you will have one that will be the alpha male.

Check out this link. At the bottom you will see juvie Boeseman's the ones with the bright yellow tail are the males and the dull yellows/reddish are females.

bosemani
I keep a planted Rainbow tank so I have a little experience first hand with these fish. I could tell when I got them what was which. Very cool community fish. You should have them in plants someway either real(preferably) or high quality fakes.

 

[sasquatch]

Ryan, your so clever lol I was thinking these guys, actually looking for some now as a surprise for Teresa

 

[RyanG]

These are some pics of my juvie boesemanis

Male Coloration(dominant)

Male Coloration Sub-Dominant

Female Coloration

Comparison

 

[RyanG]

Sorry for the size and blurry pics but you get the idea. As they mature they get even more brilliant and the front part turns very bright blue

 

[AJinNY]

Thanks Ryan.

I have 3 boesemani.
I have 2 yellow rainbowfish (definitely male - they already showing decent color).
I have 2 australian rainbow (also both male).

Im told the males will get more intense coloration over time.
Its the boesemani Im a little upset about. I like the ones that get the front half blue and the back half yellow. Im not sure if the ones I have are male or female. But even if they are juvies, I cant see half blue and half yellow....is this possible it will change as they grow a little bit? Theyre about 2 inches in length.

If they were males, would I already see the half blue/half yellow?

I got these fish over the course of the last 2 weeks...you think they just need time to settle in? They otherwise seem fine and go nuts when I put some food in the tank!

 

[RyanG]

You wont see the blue in the Boesemani's until they are mature(3.5-4 inch range) Mine dont look as blue in the front as the last pic shows it all happened in the camera somewhere. Mine arent mature yet either. The coloration will get better if you add some females though. What sized tank do you have? I run two females per male. I have a 29 gal planted with the following:
2 Glowfish Danios
6 Boesemani's(2 male, four female)
3 Bronze Irianian Rainbows(1 male 2 females)
3 Blue Platys(1 male 2 females)
plecostomus.

Decent bioload for the tank not overfull.

 

[BEELZEBOB]

put a small tv w/ sports on it and a six pac in front of your tank.

the males should swin forward.

then, put a credit card and a stiletto shoe in front of the tank,

and the ladies will come forward.





(sorry)

 

[lcstorc]

Thanks for the laugh Bob. That was great.

 

[BEELZEBOB]

okay, so i actually devoted i lil bit of time to this subject.

apparently, male bosemani's color is considerably, or like noticably brighter than that of the female.

i.e. dull vs shiny.

 

[BEELZEBOB]

another dude said more vibrant orange in the tails

 

[AJinNY]

i would add some females, but the problem is, I don tknow how many females I already do have (if any).

DO they have to grow to get the intense coloration? Wont the passing of time just bring on the colors?

Thanks!!

 

[RyanG]

If the tails are NOTICABLY orange from say 5 ft they are male. If the fish looks mostly gray or silver its a female. Look at my pics again pay close attention to the tail coloration. If yours are male they WILL have orange tails at 2inches.

Heres a link with some good info
Boeseman's Rainbowfish, Melanotaenia boesemani, Family: Melanotaeniidae

 

[plecosword]

Oh ive had these!, A lucky couple, the female has yellow tail, and male had a darker yellow, orange tail. THEy Breed in the morning, In a bushy place were they scatter their eggs, youll see them kinda shaking next to each other on the morning.

 

[AJinNY]

Now the 2 fish front and center...they MUST be male, right? The left is an Australian rainbow, the one on the right isa Boesemani.

Sorry the camera I have isnt the best.

If I changed the gravel, would the fish colors look better in the tank?

Thanks!!

 

[RyanG]

I have no clue about the Australian but Id would say that the Boesemani is a male. If you put some plant either fake ot real in there they will act a lot more natural that substrate doesnt look bad at all get some green in there and you should see a world of differance in color and action!

 

[AJinNY]

But the Boesemani, I agree it is male...but when does the front half turn blue and thre back turn yellow? Im assuming theyre still juvies?

 

[PEMfish]

I'd say males.