Does anyone know how to tell the difference between a male and female Firefish?

[reefman13]

Does anyone out there know how to tell the difference between a male and female Firefish. They are beautiful fish but, aparently they are prone to fighting with each other if they are mated. So I woud prefer to find a male and female pair when I go out looking.
Thanks

 

[fishieness]

you cant tell jsut by looking at them. the only real way to do it is find a pair form a fellow reefer who has seen them mate, or has observed them for quite some time. you can also go to a LFS and get a few of them, put them all in QT, and see which two seem to get along the best, then return the rest (of course, id make sure this is okay with the lfs)

 

[hubris007]

From what i hear, the females are the ones that lay the eggs.

 

[saltyfishy123]

Dave you cant keep fire fish togather in a small tank they will kill each other... But you can tell the sex. Ill tell you later im to tired to write right now.....

 

[saltyfishy123]

Dave you cant keep fire fish togather in a small tank they will kill each other... But you can tell the sex. Ill tell you later im to tired to write right now.....

 

[amcarrig]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8480702#post8480702 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hubris007
From what i hear, the females are the ones that lay the eggs.

:lol:

If I'm not mistaken, a good look at the dorsal fin can help you determine sex. I believe that the males have a shorter, stubbier dorsal fin than the females or vice versa.

 

[saltyfishy123]

Its actually the other way around the female has a shorter dorsal fins. But you cant keep firefish together in a tank no smaller the 100gallons. The will kill eachother. And they are very hard to breed.

 

[JonTarutis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8482759#post8482759 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amcarrig
:lol:

If I'm not mistaken, a good look at the dorsal fin can help you determine sex. I believe that the males have a shorter, stubbier dorsal fin than the females or vice versa.

I thought the female was the one with the backbone....

 

[amcarrig]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[amcarrig]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8482923#post8482923 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyfishy123
Its actually the other way around the female has a shorter dorsal fins. But you cant keep firefish together in a tank no smaller the 100gallons. The will kill eachother. And they are very hard to breed.

I disagree. I have kept firefish pairs in 90 gallon and smaller tanks. Now, if you have an unmated pair in a 30 gallon tank then, yes, they will most likely kill each other.

 

[saltyfishy123]

Well yeah, But reefman13 wants to keep them in a 24g aquapod.

 

[fishieness]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8482923#post8482923 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyfishy123
Its actually the other way around the female has a shorter dorsal fins. But you cant keep firefish together in a tank no smaller the 100gallons. The will kill eachother. And they are very hard to breed.

i have heard that too but i said you cant do it because that is an extremely unreliable way to do it. the fins are often nipped off by fish, rubbed off from all the time they spend in caves, ect. and then the sizes can vary depending on the age or the actual fish itself. some people say you can do it that way. but there are waaaay to many variables to really claim it is reliable.

 

[SaltwaterDaddy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8483819#post8483819 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by amcarrig
I disagree. I have kept firefish pairs in 90 gallon and smaller tanks. Now, if you have an unmated pair in a 30 gallon tank then, yes, they will most likely kill each other.

I have to agree with amcarrig. I currently have 2 "regular" firefish and to purple firefish together (6 months no problems). Plus I have another tank (set up for 2 months) with 8 firefish in the same 29 gal. tank. Again, never even seen any sign of possible trouble.

Not sure why you think they fight (don't get along).

 

[amcarrig]

Why do any fish fight really...it's a dominance thang I have found that as juveniles, many can co-habitate without problems but once "they" "drop and separate", all bets are off

 

[jnfallon]

The females are the ones that never stop talking.

 

[saltyfishy123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8489872#post8489872 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnfallon
The females are the ones that never stop talking.

OMG LOL!!!!!!!!!