What Sex Is My Kribensis? I Can't Tell

[welsh98]

Hi, I purchased two Kribs (my first) and was told they were male and female. I've done a bit of googling and have come to the conclusion that they may be both males. They both have the same long coloured fins, both have points. Both have spots, neither has a bulby tummy and both have diamond tail fins.

I'm having trouble taking a picture of the other Krib. Its being a cheeky hiding #29### everytime I try to take a picture. Its 3/4inch bigger than the other one. its highly coloured and has a red tummy. It keeps chasing the other one around the tank and I've seen the little grey one tensing up its fins in a defensive manner.

I need to know if I should take one of them back to the pet shop to ask to swap to a female.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sorry I had trouble pasting a link to the photo

http/s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc498/welsh98/

 

[KittyKat]

You might want to have another go at posting those images, this time without the html tags, only with the BB tags.

The one with the pink belly is most likely the female, the one without is probably a male.. but it is possible for males to have pink tummies too.

 

[Ben M]

I can't see the pic, but from the description it sounds like both are male. I'd be able to say for sure if I could see a pic. If you do have 2 males it would be a good idea to return one and swap it for a female.

Edit: The one in the pic is a young male. Could you get a pic of the other one?

cheers

 

[lljdma06]

The pic I can actually see, the link. That's a male for sure. Males tend to have more a tapering to the fins too, ending on a point, whereas female fins are more rounded, like others have said. Big pink belly dot will indicate a female as well and the fish tend to be more squat in build. A breeding male will bully a subordinate male and the subordinate's color will blanche. Breeding pairs are stunning fish, very colorful and great parents.

Love kribs, I used to breed them. The funnest part was watching the parents leading the fry throughout the tank; taking them to feeding spots. They knew where I'd feed baby brine shrimp so, when it was time to feed, they'd take the fry to the area and wait. Clever, clever fish.

 

[welsh98]

Hi all.
Thanks for the info. The pictured Krib was the one that the pet shop man told me was a female. I'll let him know when he next opens shop and ask if I can swap the fish.
The other dilema I now face is which fish to send back. The greyish one seems to have a better temprament and is friendly with the other fish but the other krib is a decent male Krib maybe a little aggressive but very healthy looking and has beautiful colours.

Like the novice I am, I have a fish tank filled with guppies, bristlenose catfish and a sailfin mollie which I've read today that Kribs will probably attack them to death. I have a lot of hidey holes, caves, plants and the kribs seem to be happy enough to share the space because of this.

So should I keep the krib that may eat the other fish but will breed well or keep the other young male kirb who seems less bully-like and isn't a scardy cat??

Kind regards

 

[KittyKat]

What makes you think that one will breed better than the other? I would pick the better tempered fish, but I also don't think that the guppies would survive *any* breeding attempt by the Kribs, regardless of which ones you have, unless you're putting them into a 4 ft tank.

By the way, you can post the photos by copy/pasting the bit labelled as "IMG codes"