Paradise Fish Update

Well, I did some more in depth looking around and still couldn't find anything
to help out with sexing juveniles so I called Aquarium Adventure and told them
what's up. Packed the buggers in a jumbo ziplock beside another filled with
warm water, wrapped it all in a towel and stuck 'em in a box. When I got there
the manager kinda looked at me sideways as I unwrapped everything (it took a
while. heh)

He took me back to look at the PF tank and pointed out a juvie male for me.
The difference was pretty obvious with someone right there coaching me. The
colors were definately more intense even when he wasn't picking on everyone,
and the anal/caudal fused fin was perceptably longer further up the body
instead of tapering out like in the females... and more of a lobed shape at the
start of it. Not sure about the fin names, but I'm sure you get the general
idea. It would be near impossible for me to say a single juvie paradise was
M/F unless the opossite sex was right there as well, even after the lesson.
Pretty tricky.

He also said that the females will display in a fashion similar to the males,
but less intense. Makes sense as there wasn't any mouth-grappling, only little
nips.

So now I've got two definate females and a questionable little one. I won't
mind having all girls if the way the store male was acting is normal.
*shudder* But, if it turns out to be a boy then hopefully he will have learned
his manners by the time he's grown. Hopefully...

Anywho, the platy at the bottom of the pecking order seems to have figured out
that if he can manage to stay near the biggest paradise then his antagonizers
will leave him alone. I thought this was a pretty bad idea at first since
she's been chasing everyone away from her but for some reason she now lets him
swim quite close alongside her. They move around the tank together, pick at
the Java together and such. Cute.

Just wanted to share.

Jessica
Proud mommy of a new pl*co... and a superbly cycled tank. LOL.

"PurityFailed" wrote in message
...
Well, I did some more in depth looking around and still couldn't find
anything
to help out with sexing juveniles so I called Aquarium Adventure and
told them
what's up. Packed the buggers in a jumbo ziplock beside another filled
with
warm water, wrapped it all in a towel and stuck 'em in a box. When I
got there
the manager kinda looked at me sideways as I unwrapped everything (it
took a
while. heh)

He took me back to look at the PF tank and pointed out a juvie male for
me.
The difference was pretty obvious with someone right there coaching me.
The
colors were definately more intense even when he wasn't picking on
everyone,
and the anal/caudal fused fin was perceptably longer further up the
body
instead of tapering out like in the females... and more of a lobed
shape at the
start of it. Not sure about the fin names, but I'm sure you get the
general
idea. It would be near impossible for me to say a single juvie
paradise was
M/F unless the opossite sex was right there as well, even after the
lesson.
Pretty tricky.

He also said that the females will display in a fashion similar to the
males,
but less intense. Makes sense as there wasn't any mouth-grappling,
only little
nips.

So now I've got two definate females and a questionable little one. I
won't
mind having all girls if the way the store male was acting is normal.
*shudder* But, if it turns out to be a boy then hopefully he will have
learned
his manners by the time he's grown. Hopefully...

Anywho, the platy at the bottom of the pecking order seems to have
figured out
that if he can manage to stay near the biggest paradise then his
antagonizers
will leave him alone. I thought this was a pretty bad idea at first
since
she's been chasing everyone away from her but for some reason she now
lets him
swim quite close alongside her. They move around the tank together,
pick at
the Java together and such. Cute.

Just wanted to share.

Jessica
Proud mommy of a new pl*co... and a superbly cycled tank. LOL.

Paradise fish are labyrinth fishes, same as gouramis and Bettas, but in
terms of potential aggression, they are (imo) closer to Bettas, so if you
had had 2 males, then ymmv. Unless they are adults, I can't sex them
either, until there are several of them beside each other (from the same
batch). It's an interesting fish, especially the Blacks and the Albinos.
I haven't seen nice Blues in a while.

NetMax

It's an interesting fish, especially the Blacks and the Albinos.
I haven't seen nice Blues in a while.

NetMax

Hmmm... Around Cols, OH they seem to be everywhere. Nice unbroken fins, plump
and beautiful colors. The guy at AA said they were expecting another shipment
Thursday I believe, and if you'd like I can find out their supplier for you.
I'm going to head back up there then to compare the guys and gals again. I
haven't come across a picture of the black or albinos. Have any leads?

I agree with you, mah dear. They are really neat little guys. The PF's
behavior is so.... reeflike! They flit around, appear capable of
higher-than-mud-complexity relationships and darn if they aren't hardy.
Stellar. Heh.

Oh, and if anyone's interested... the method I used to travel with them (for
about a half hour drive there, 15 or so at the store and the drive back) seemed
to work perfectly. It was pretty nipply up here today and the water actually
only dropped about 6 degrees by the time I got them home. Woohoo.

Happy Trails,

Jessica
Guess who just added her first plant.