Page 1 of 1
identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 11:22 am
by jimmyocean
Got a pair of juvenile kribs and I'm stumped on the sex. Two males or one male, one female - I just can't tell for sure. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Re: identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 12:00 pm
by coltin
It's tough to sex juvenile fish with certainty. Look for the tail shape - males typically have a more pointed tail, while females have a rounded one.
Re: identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 1:14 pm
by graye
I'm leaning towards all females, given their age. The rounded fins and the red on the belly are good indicators, and their body shape is starting to take on that characteristic deeper profile. You'll likely have a clearer answer in a few weeks.
The species is Pelvicachromis pulcher, often mistakenly referred to as kribs. If they were Pelvicachromis kribensis, sexing would be relatively easy, as only the females display dorsal spots.
Re: identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 3:14 pm
by sidthy
I'm pretty confident they're both females. From what I've learned, Pelvicachromis are actually pretty straightforward to sex, even at a young age - around 1" long. The key is in the pelvic fins. Females have short and rounded fins, while males have longer, pointed fins. That's why they're called Pelvicachromis, the fin difference is quite distinct.
Re: identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 5:14 pm
by jade
graye wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2025 1:14 pm
I'm leaning towards all females, given their age. The rounded fins and the red on the belly are good indicators, and their body shape is starting to take on that characteristic deeper profile. You'll likely have a clearer answer in a few weeks.
The species is Pelvicachromis pulcher, often mistakenly referred to as kribs. If they were Pelvicachromis kribensis, sexing would be relatively easy, as only the females display dorsal spots.
What's the main difference between Pelvicachromis pulcher and Pelvicachromis kribensis, I'm curious to know more about these two types.
Re: identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 6:29 pm
by graye
P pulcher is the one commonly found in the hobby. They've got different colours and tend to grow a bit larger - roughly a third bigger than P kribensis. The other type, P kribensis, comes in various geographic colour morphs, stays relatively small, and is generally less aggressive. What's more, they're pretty hard to come by and cost significantly more.
Re: identifying the sex of juvenile kribs
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:49 pm
by Emeraldsea
Young males can often be mistaken for females due to similarities in appearance, making sexing at a young age more challenging.