Sparkling gourami: male and female

[Vicki PS]

Anyone have experience with sparkling gourami (dwarf croaking gourami,
Trichopsis pumila)? Is there any way to tell the sexes apart?

Vicki PS

[NetMax]

"Vicki PS" > wrote in message
u...
> Anyone have experience with sparkling gourami (dwarf croaking gourami,
> Trichopsis pumila)? Is there any way to tell the sexes apart?
>
> Vicki PS


If I'm thinking of the right fish, the males grow larger, are more
colourful and have more pointed dorsal & anal fins. Juveniles will be
tougher to sex. By observation you might detect the alpha male as they
are a tiny bit scrappy with each other.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Vicki PS]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> "Vicki PS" > wrote in message
> u...
> > Anyone have experience with sparkling gourami (dwarf croaking gourami,
> > Trichopsis pumila)? Is there any way to tell the sexes apart?
> >
> > Vicki PS
>
>
> If I'm thinking of the right fish, the males grow larger, are more
> colourful and have more pointed dorsal & anal fins. Juveniles will be
> tougher to sex. By observation you might detect the alpha male as they
> are a tiny bit scrappy with each other.

Not sure if we're talking about the same species. The sparkling gourami is
not particularly colourful, teeny -- only about 4cm long -- and looks more
like a juvenile betta, in body and fin shape, than like other gourami
species.

None of the fish databases I've found say anything about sexual dimorphism,
and unfortunately I've only got the one fish (all the lfs had left). I
wanted to get one or two more, preferably of opposite sexes, hence the
question.

Vicki PS

[NetMax]

"Vicki PS" > wrote in message
u...
>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> "Vicki PS" > wrote in message
>> u...
>> > Anyone have experience with sparkling gourami (dwarf croaking
>> > gourami,
>> > Trichopsis pumila)? Is there any way to tell the sexes apart?
>> >
>> > Vicki PS
>>
>>
>> If I'm thinking of the right fish, the males grow larger, are more
>> colourful and have more pointed dorsal & anal fins. Juveniles will be
>> tougher to sex. By observation you might detect the alpha male as
>> they
>> are a tiny bit scrappy with each other.
>
> Not sure if we're talking about the same species. The sparkling
> gourami is
> not particularly colourful, teeny -- only about 4cm long -- and looks
> more
> like a juvenile betta, in body and fin shape, than like other gourami
> species.
>
> None of the fish databases I've found say anything about sexual
> dimorphism,
> and unfortunately I've only got the one fish (all the lfs had left). I
> wanted to get one or two more, preferably of opposite sexes, hence the
> question.
>
> Vicki PS

LOL. As I was writing the description 'more colourful' I thought the
same thing. You really need them side by side to see the extra bluish
tinge, primarily in the anal fin and a bit in the dorsal fin. I seem to
remember the males having wider chocolate brown stripes, but that might
have been a local marking.
http://www.aquajapan.com/encyc/labyrinth/bellontiidae/trichopsis/pumila_03.jpg
http://www.elacuarista.com/secciones/images/trichops_pumilus.jpg
Their health & water conditions will influence identification. Under
poor conditions, they are all darker, so would be more difficult to
distinguish the sexes.

http://www.mongabay.com/fish/belontiidae.htm has a nice article on
labyrinths. Scroll down to the bottom for the pygmy. They list the
elongated dorsal as the most reliable indicator. Note that older females
will also start to grow out their fins a bit (not as much), so to sex
them reliably ;~), the fish should be of similar age and condition.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Vicki PS]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> LOL. As I was writing the description 'more colourful' I thought the
> same thing. You really need them side by side to see the extra bluish
> tinge, primarily in the anal fin and a bit in the dorsal fin. I seem to
> remember the males having wider chocolate brown stripes, but that might
> have been a local marking.
>
http://www.aquajapan.com/encyc/labyrinth/bellontiidae/trichopsis/pumila_03.jpg
> http://www.elacuarista.com/secciones/images/trichops_pumilus.jpg
> Their health & water conditions will influence identification. Under
> poor conditions, they are all darker, so would be more difficult to
> distinguish the sexes.
>
> http://www.mongabay.com/fish/belontiidae.htm has a nice article on
> labyrinths. Scroll down to the bottom for the pygmy. They list the
> elongated dorsal as the most reliable indicator. Note that older females
> will also start to grow out their fins a bit (not as much), so to sex
> them reliably ;~), the fish should be of similar age and condition.

Aha! Thanks for those links. I'd say my lone gourami is probably a juvie,
and possibly male -- generally much paler than the two pictured, but the
body markings are quite clear. In the two days I've had it, its colour has
intensified somewhat. The green iridescent patches near the pectorals are
more obvious, and I can see a bit of bluish iridescence in the anal and
dorsal fins, with only very faint spotting. Dorsal is quite pointed, but as
you rightly say, length is relative!

I think the only answer will be to get 2 more -- and make sure those two
look like they're different sexes! Very attractive little fish, anyway.

Vicki PS