sexing the kirbensis w/ pics

fishfreaks

fishfreaks

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Dec 12, 2004
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ok so we have been trying to decide wether or kribensis' are male or female. but we just cant decide. the one we thought was a female because of the red belly. the one the we believed to be male will sit up behind the filter, and come down to swim once in awhile, but always returns back up to the filter. also sometimes the krib we believed to be female, will come up and chase the other away. i just dont want anyone to get hurt srry about all of the pics but i thought it might be a little more helpful to you and to us, so i just kept clicking!!http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kooki...=&.done=http://photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
 
Hi there! I don't know a ton about Kribensis, but here is some info I found:

Sexing the Krib is very easy also. Males tend to be longer and have more pronounced and tapered dorsal and anal fins, as well as a series of "eye spots" (but this is not always true). Females have a plum to a red colored patch over their bellies and have more rounded fins, and fuller bodies.

I tried to click on your picture link, but it told me the file I requested was unavailable. Hope this info helps!

:-)
 
Aggressive females aren't unusual. Many pairs will switch back and forth between aggresssion until they both want to spawn at the same time. If one has a big red belly, she's a female. Males will grow a tail that is shaped kind of like a spade (pointed), but it takes awhile to develop that characteristic. I'd offer more info, but it's been awhile since I've kept them.
 
Kribs are real easy to sex. Sometimes, if they are stressed at the fish store, they'll be faded, but shouldn't be a problem. Kribs are probably my favorite fish, and every community tank I set up gets a pair. They breed often in community tanks, protect their fry (and don't eat them, usually). Soon you'll be giving them away and the local fish stores will get sick of seeing you coming with bags of young Kribs for sale. :rolleyes:

Easiest way I tell them apart is the coloration of the dorsal fin ends about 2/3 of the way back on the female, where the male's coloration run right to the long pointier back end of the dorsal fin. Males are typically longer, more torpedo shaped, and the female have a little pudgier bellys, and be shorter. Males have a broader, longer forehead. Hope this helps.
 
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If the two pictures of Kribs in the pics on the second site are two different fish, then they both look to be males to me. The dorsal coloration is a no-fail test. Also, the pelvic fins in mature females are very very dark red, matching the color of the belly. In mature males these are only tinged red with a much stronger blue on the leading edge of the pelvic fins.

My kribs are nesting right now.. :)

Here's a good link on Kribs in general, if you havent seen it yet http://www.thekrib.com/Apisto/P-pulcher.html

>Sarah
 
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