Ch4Rlies New 2.5 Feet Tank Journal

[TallTree01]

Good stuff Charlie. That whiptail is a funny looking fellow eh?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Good stuff Charlie. That whiptail is a funny looking fellow eh?

 
Honestly, the whiptail is lovely, really is. I love the colour
 
The pics do not do him justice.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Just a wee pic to show you the amano shrimp and one of the female gourami for size comparision.
 
Amano is pretty much bigger than the gourami
 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Whiptail doing real well

 
Seeks out the bits of algae wafers i put in tank for him, though the amanos and assassin snails do nick some of them

 
Here he is coming out of one of his wood caves

 
Am seriously thinking I may get a female to go with this whiptial, at least I THINK this is a male in the pic, whats the best way of telling genders in whiptails?
 
Anyone know?
 

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[Goggy]

Is that a golden whiptail or some twig cat?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Is that a golden whiptail or some twig cat?

 
Its a Whiptail Catfish - Rineloricaria lanceolata 

 

[Goggy]

i think Its male you can tell by the body shape

 

[Ch4rlie]

Can you elaborate a little more, I'd like to know a bit more what to look for if I want to get a female whiptail.
 
The SF link i did earlier states 'Mature males develop odontotes on the head and pectoral spines, which are lacking in females.'
 
So I question is the whiptail I have a muture whiptail or not? I would probably think so since is around 8 - 9 cm long and fully grown is around 9.5cm.
 
Are the pectoral fin spines on the sides of the fins?
 
You can see on the last picture I posted of the whiptail (click on pic for enlarged pic) it has pectoral fins, but hard to tell if has spines or not.
 
And what are odontotes? bristles on head....like male BN's have?

 

[Goggy]

The males body are broader than females and males have Odontotes
 

And what are odontotes? bristles on head....like male BN's have?

correct, odontotes are whiskers just like BN pleco, but odontotes are a lot less noticeable. The males will have a lot on the sides of their heads
 
I dont know their max size so cant help you there, but if you are correct then the odontotes should be there on the cheeks if its mature and male 
 
Females have thinner bodies and no odontotes
 
found this on the internet, its a nice example of otodones: 

 

[Ch4rlie]

I dont know their max size so cant help you there, but if you are correct then the odontotes should be there on the cheeks if its mature and male
 
Females have thinner bodies and no odontotes

 
Think this may be the trouble why am having difficulty telling if this is male or female, my whiptail is still a young 'un. Only about 6.5 - 7cm max in length FT, they grow to 9.5cm on average, so reckon still has a little growing to do.
 
So I think its best that am going to wait a while until I can tell if this is amle or female for sure then get another of the opposite gender

 

[Ch4rlie]

Got a new Female Honey Gourami to replace the male

 
Unfortunately I had no choice but to take the male back to the same LFS depsite me putting ad up for free male to a good home. Anyway, swapped him for a female, at no cost which is good.
 
Here is the new female -
 

 
And here is a pic with the beautifully coloured up male in background, so you can tell, the new gourami is definitely a female

 

[TallTree01]

That male is stunning Charlie.

 

[Ch4rlie]

That male is stunning Charlie.

 
Oh yes he really has coloured up more than i hoped for
 
Thanks TT

 

[LyraGuppi]

If I lived closer, and had some room, I would have bought him in an instant. I can't find Honey Gourami anywhere around here!
 
They're beautiful!

 

[NickAu]

Lovley Gouramis Charlie.