How to Sex a Texas?

[cichlid_guy]

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=27975

I was wanting to know how to sex texas?
I am wanting to get a mate for the one i have.
can you please help me learn how to sex texas?

ALSO

My texas is about 4" - 4.5" TL
and mose texas around here are smaller 2" - 2.5"
(thats what i got my texas at, about 6 to 8 weeks ago)
will it be ok to have one texas bigger then the other?

thank you.
Scottie

[Kit Walker]

Apparently there is no true way to sex a Texas other than be vent sexing (holding the fish and insepcting the sexual organs). It is possible that males have longer finnage and females have fuller bellies, but this is not a reliable sexing method.

[Monglor]

Female Texas will usually have a blue patch in the middle of their dorsal fin. Here is a pic of female below.

http://cichlidresearch.com/gifs/texas/texas1.jpg

[Shay]

Your fish is male. Monglor is correct. Females will have the spot. This is visible on even very small Texas.

-Shay

[AikidoGuy]

the spot on the fin is they way i know of as well.

[cichlid_guy]

Ok, thanks!
Now i can go get a female!

What about the question on the size?
If and when i do get a female, it will be about 2" smaller.
is this going to be a problem?
How are they are breeding, mean to each other?

scottie

[AikidoGuy]

its not the breeding part id worry about its adding a new tank mate thatll be tough for a few days. Hopefully the original fish will ge tover it and accept the new mate and realize its a female and let nature take its course. provide some good hiding places that the larger fish cant get into and the smaller can get into for some refuge.

[Dale W.]

You may also want to slightly re arrange your decor as to make the tank new to both of the fish. This takes away the teritorial disputes to a point that the male may already have.

[Shay]

Just my experience, but I suggest adding more fish besides the Texas if you haven't already in order to spread out the agression.

My Texas are excellent parents, but they both get *mean* after the fry are hatched. If you want to avoid the worst part of the aggression, remove the fry as soon as they are hatched. Of course, you don't get to see the parenting this way.

-Shay

[AikidoGuy]

i wouldnt remove the fry, the parents are very capable of working together to take care of them for a few months. They will be meaner to other tankmates more than themselves when caring for the fry. Targets are a good idea if yo uhave the room. Your fish will get nastier with age. each one ive owned got noticebly more "attitude" when it hit 6" I have carpinte but its close enough.

[cichlid_guy]

Maybe i should add a egg crate "gate"
Like Mojo has made. has a hole big enough for the smaller fish to go back and forth but the bigger one can't.
gives the smaller one a place to run.

If and when i do get a second texas, i will get a 75gal set-up just for the texas. I might have another tank mate as they are smaller, but the tank will end up housing just the texas.
I'm sure that will help on the agression.

thanks for all teh help!
Scottie

[ThorinMan]

"Dont mess with Texas!"

[Shay]

Originally posted by cichlid_guy

If and when i do get a second texas, i will get a 75gal set-up just for the texas. I might have another tank mate as they are smaller, but the tank will end up housing just the texas.
I'm sure that will help on the agression.

Scottie [/B]

Everything I have ever heard or read, along with my own experience suggests that this is a very bad idea. I have my Texas in with some good sized sunfish. This makes for a succesful breeding setup. I would advise against attempting to breed the Texas in an otherwise empty tank.

-Shay

[cichlid_guy]

Really?
so i should have tankmates? What would be some good tankmates in a 75gal with 2 texas?

scottie

[Shay]

Originally posted by cichlid_guy
Really?
so i should have tankmates? What would be some good tankmates in a 75gal with 2 texas?

scottie

I have only ever kept mine with toughish sun fish, so I can only guess at other appropriate tankmates. I assume that any of the medium sized SA cichlids would be fine. Just watch that no individual fish gets particularly bullied.

I would definitely put in enough cover that the other fish can get out of view of the Texas. Small, fast trigger fish might also curb aggression, but you'll likely lose your fry that way.

-Shay

[Kit Walker]

I'd assume any larger tough mid-top dweller should be alright. The Texas like the lower regions and sift through the gravel, so would most likely compete with other lower region cichlids (eg Geophagus).