Age to sex GBRs

[Jaybird]

I have been compulsively searching all the LFS in my area for GBRs for a long time now. They just have not had any. Finally, I found a place that had some, but their colours were so washed-out that they almost looked like gold rams.

The three guys have started to colour-up nicely in my 30G, and one has the typical pink-ish belly of a female, but I’m still not sure of the other two. They are all about 1” long, so it will be a while before, if ever, they try to mate. At what size should their sex become more apparent? I’ve tried looking at the black spot to see if there is any blue inside it, or just around it, as I have been told that can be another way to sex them. Well, they just don’t hold still long enough, and that spot is just so small, that I can’t be certain.

[JDogg]

male have longer pectoral fins...

can you post a pic, could probably sex them from a pic

[Voodoo Chilli]

An inch is more than old enough to determine sex with rams.

I've heard lots of theories about sexing them; the pinkish belly (or lack of) has been the only near 100% realiable method, IME.

[Jaybird]

Guys, sorry I haven't been able to post pics. Both my Internet and cable TV have been down for almost a week now. I think I'm going crazy. I've found these squarish heavy things full of paper with strange markings on them all around my house. I'm not sure what they are used for, but I may be tempted to try them soon

One looks like some school bullies held her down and gave her a nasty case of pink belly. The other two don't have any pink at all. One of those almost doesn't have a black spot. It's there, but very faint.

The one with the pink belly, and one of the others, keeps hanging around together and the female (assuming from the pink belly) has started to move some gravel about. She's made a tiny little depression.

I'm happy that they are still alive. This is the longest that I have had GBRs in my tank before....knock on wood....some fatalities. Once I can get Internet back in the house, I'll put up some pictures.

[Lonewolfblue]

Sounds like you may only have 1 female. With my babies, for my GBR's it looks like I have 1 female in the bunch. The eggs were layed on June 3, and hatched on June 6-8. So at 2 months old, they should be fairly sexable. And at 6 months, for sure. And mine are at about 1/2 inch.

Originally Posted by JDogg

male have longer pectoral fins...

This is a common mistake. It's the Pelvic fins that are longer. The pectoral fins are next to the gills, and the pelvic fins are down on the belly. The pelvic fins on a female won't reach the anal fin, and the males will go past the start of the anal fin.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:L...rnfish%292.png

7 - Anal Fin
9 - Pelvic Fins
10 - Pectoral Fins

[Jaybird]

Thanks Lonewolfblue. I'll have to check that. I know you mentioned that for Bolivians too. According to that, I have two male bolivians and one female. But they are a lot larger than my GBRs.

I'll see if I can check the length of the pelvic fins on the two without pink bellies.

I sure is funny to watch a 1" fish push about gravel. It seems like such an impossible task....but she does it.

[Lonewolfblue]

Yes, the Bolivians will get much larger than your GBR's. My largest GBR right now is just under 2 inches and my big male Bolivian is about 3 1/4 inches.

Should try and find a piece of slate or marble for them to spawn on. Then she may not push gravel anymore.

[JDogg]

Originally Posted by Lonewolfblue

This is a common mistake. It's the Pelvic fins that are longer. The pectoral fins are next to the gills, and the pelvic fins are down on the belly.

i knew that it just came out wrong. sometimes i type faster then i think and i forget to proofread...

[Lonewolfblue]

[Jaybird]

I've put a some round, flatish, stones in there already. I put them there with the hopes of what I think is a Bolivian female to choose from between the two obvious males. So far, no luck!

Now I have three little GBRs in there. It's a tank in my bedroom, so the yellow and red of the Bolivians with the blues and pink of the GBRs is nice to watch while falling asleep.

It would be nice if they laid eggs, but it woudn't be the end of the world if they didn't.