# Sexing kribensis



## BryansGirl420

Hi! I recently had two kribs, one of which was an *** and the other a pansy. I removed the overly aggressive fish and added 3 others. I believe I had the sexing wrong, leaning towards the pansy being a male. So I took some pictures and was hoping you guys could help to confirm the sex of these fish!

#1- Pansy. He hides often and is hard to photograph. At least he's not harassed into hiding behind the heater anymore.*
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/bpQwM.jpg" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

#2*
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/HRMM7.jpg" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

#3
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/ns5co.jpg" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />

#4
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/nx3eC.jpg" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />


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## coralbandit

# 1,2,and4 look like females(red bellies).#3 could be a male.I've heard more than one person(and the owner of a LFS) say that the females sometimes kill the males!She had maybe 40 kribensis in a few different tanks and they all looked like females.She commented that another customer wanted(needed)a male(because female had killed him),but she didn't think that even one that she had was a male.Upon looking closer it really seemed like she had all males.I started out 2 1/2 years ago with one pair,managed to catch maybe 30 fry over the course of a year,but eventually couldn't catch the fry or juvies anymore.Finally there were so many I took all plants,rocks and wood out of my 180 and caught 80!I actually thought I got them all, but months later I spotted 2 juvies(must have been very small fry during the capture time).They both appeared to be males so out of the 80 I kept 6 that I placed in a 20long.I pulled 2 females and put them back in 180(seems insane,but I know I will be tearing tank apart in 2 more years or so to catch them).They colored up and I'm sure have spawned by now,but maybe my two angels(not so little pigs anymore) will keep them in check.


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## BryansGirl420

Don't the kribs try to tear your angels apart? I don't know much about angel fish but I thought id read that they weren't compatable with African cichlids. 
I also don't think the red belly is enough to decide a sex as males get red bellied also during mating season. However, #1 is showing signs of breeding. (hasn't eaten in days, extremely territorial) could be female! It's definitely the palest of all four though. 
Ive heard the dots on the dorsal fin are different between male and female. I've also heard the colour on a male reaches to the end of the very pointy fin, and females it's more rounded and clear in colour. 
I also have 4 juvies in my tank! I've never tried breeding fish and it just kind of happened! Not sure how considering the pair I previously had didn't behave at all like a mating pair. Kind of a miracle babies even survived! Super interesting stuff!

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/m5ZHD.jpg" alt="Uploaded with Imgupr" />


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## coralbandit

besides if protecting a spawn kribs are pretty peaceful.I'd rank my angels as the most aggressive fish in tank.The angels are also the most recent addition(2-3 months ago) besides additional discus.The pointed fins may be a good indicator of males also but when ready to spawn the males come nowhere near as red (if at all,mine always seem pale).


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## BryansGirl420

Thanks for the info
Figured I'd bump for any other ideas?


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## dalfed

1 is a male 2-3-4 female you can tell by the eye spot on the dorsal fin


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## BryansGirl420

Thank you!


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## tbub1221

dalfed said:


> 1 is a male 2-3-4 female you can tell by the eye spot on the dorsal fin


Hey guys , i was just reading this discussion and looking over the photos , i myself have always only known to look at fin shape and the red belly factor. 
I have never really seen the eye spot on the dorsal fin be all that much different , not enough to be able to tel anything. looking over just the spot coloration from what your saying about 1 being male and the rest females it looks like the females have more of a defined black eye spot outlined in the yellow. maybe there is something im missing if so please educate me , i dont keep kribs but i do have many African ciclids and would consider having one , but not a pair , also id prefer a little more indicator as to if it may get aggressive and if the females are the bullies i may seek a male if i can find one.


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## dalfed

I just have very young ones from a buddy of mine who has been breeding them for a few years he tells me that the eye spot is the only way to know for sure ?!?


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## tbub1221

yea i get that , im just wanting to know what about the eye spot makes you say that #1 is male and 2-3-4 Female because like i said i only see a little more yellow defining it but then again im sure also if i was looking at them all in an aquarium then i may see more , so could you tell me a little more on why you say 1 is male and 234 not ?? you can pm me if you have a little more info on this for me , if not thanks again for the schooling :animated_fish_swimm


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## coralbandit

I have to say I read nothing about eye spots on dorsal as a way to sex kribs,BUT when looking at my two pair I have in my 180 the males besides being less colorful DO NOT have eye spots on dorsal.One of my females has multiple eye spots.dalfed may have nailed it.


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## dalfed

Just passing on info that was shared with me, as I said just got kribs for the first time and mine are barely an 1" long.


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