Help sexing apistogramma cacatuoides

[Mellowaquatics]

how’d it going, having trouble sexing my apistos. Was sold to me as a male and female pair but now I’m not so sure the female is actually a female. Attached are the photos of the supposed female. The ventral fins appear black

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Can you post pictures of the other fish?

Did all the fish at the shop have that weird cream colour on the rear half of the body? Because that looks like a microsporidian infection.

 

[Mellowaquatics]

Here is the other, supposed male

 

[Mellowaquatics]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Can you post pictures of the other fish?

Did all the fish at the shop have that weird cream colour on the rear half of the body? Because that looks like a microsporidian infection.

Linked the photo above!

 

[Colin_T]

Both the fish have a weird body color. I wonder if they have been crossed with something else back in their past, or if they have an albino/ gold form mixed in with their bloodlines.

The last pic is definitely a male.

The first pics could be a male. The tail looks squared off and females have a round tail, not flat on the end.

 

[Mellowaquatics]

Both the fish have a weird body color. I wonder if they have been crossed with something else back in their past, or if they have an albino/ gold form mixed in with their bloodlines.

The last pic is definitely a male.

The first pics could be a male. The tail looks squared off and females have a round tail, not flat on the end.

Appreciate the reply, picked them up very recently so they are slowly being nursed back to health.

 

[Colin_T]

Have a cave at each end of the tank and put some plants in the middle. If they are both males, one fish will live at each end of the tank. If they are male and female, they should both live on the same side.

 

[Mellowaquatics]

Have a cave at each end of the tank and put some plants in the middle. If they are both males, one fish will live at each end of the tank. If they are male and female, they should both live on the same side.

For the the most part they hang out on separate sides of the tank, I think it may be two males in that case. Should I remove one to prevent future aggression?

 

[itiwhetu]

I think the first two photos are female, and the last photo is a male. I agree with @Colin_T, something is weird about the first two photos

 

[Colin_T]

For the the most part they hang out on separate sides of the tank, I think it may be two males in that case. Should I remove one to prevent future aggression?

If you have a spare tank, then maybe move one. If it colours up and looks like a male, then you have 2 boys. If it doesn't colour up, then try putting them back together in a month's time and see how they do then.

If you don't have a spare tank, then keep them together but monitor them closely. If there is any signs of aggression, separate them.

 

[kribensis12]

I would agree with @Colin_T that something seems to be off with their coloration - look at my profile pic for an example of a breeder quality male. There is a wide distribution of fin coloration with cockatoos but their main body coloration is very similar regardless of colored finnage.

I would estimate that the first pics are female. She actually has great coloration for her fins - that is a desirable trait. The body coloration though is very odd; could be some albino mixed in.

The best way, in my opinion, to sex cacatouides that are full grown when it comes to females with coloration is to look at their head. Male cockatoos have a disproportionally large head and it continues to grow in size as they age. Young males are a bit harder to see that for - but you'll see that your males head seem more blunt/"deeper" than the female.