# Sexing Julie Transcriptus



## baitfish2000 (Mar 11, 2005)

Anyone who can help me tell the differences between males and females - I would appreciate it. I have about 7 of these guys spread between 2 tanks - 3 in a 20 long and have fry from them there and 4 in a 55 gallon - most seem about the same size - with 2 visibly larger ones - 1 in each tank.

Are the males larger or females ? any other way to tell ?


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

females are larger than males


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## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

With transcriptus, the males are larger than the females. Marlieri and one other, regani I think, the females are larger.


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/african-cichlids/masked-julie/100103.asp
http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=maskedjulie
http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Julidochromis_transcriptus.html

Mines haven't breed yet, but i'm almost sure that the female is larger than the male.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

PepoLD said:


> http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/african-cichlids/masked-julie/100103.asp
> http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=maskedjulie
> http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Julidochromis_transcriptus.html
> 
> Mines haven't breed yet, but i'm almost sure that the female is larger than the male.


Oh well I was going to answer but all the info seems to be on those links. 8) 
Genital papillae is larger. longer and blunter on the females, shorter and thinner and more pointed in the male (often more curved in the male so kind of points to the tail). Size is not an accurate way of sexing but yep females usually get larger if anything eventually.

All the best James


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## Charlutz (Mar 13, 2006)

It's a rainy day here in Maryland and I was paging through my copy of Ad Konings' _Tanganyikan Cichlids in Their Natural Habitat_ and I remembered this thread. Per Konings, the females are larger in marlieri and regani and the males are larger in transcriptus, ornatus and dickfeldi.

p. 103:


> J.transcriptus and J. ornatus spawn (with small batch sizes) every fortnight whereas the other species (J. marlieri, J. regani and J. dickfeldi) breed every four to five weeks. J. marlieri and J. regani are further distinguished in that females are usually larger in size than males (on an age for age basis).


p. 178


> As in J. marlieri, females of J. regani are noticeably larger than males. In J. ornatus, the males are larger.


I've kept transcriptus pemba for about 4 years and in my fish, the males have been larger. I have had two generations of breeding trios, both times with one larger male and two smaller females. A very common aquarium julie, the gombe "transcriptus," is now usually sold as a dwarf marlieri (correctly, according to Konings) but for a long time it was called a transcriptus and perhaps that added to the confusion over whether males were larger than females.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Finaly checked that reference.  
Live and learn. Male transcriptus (and ornatus and for sure most in dickfeldi) it seems is the larger sex. For sure in that book.
Funny I have kept and bred both ornatus and transcriptus and got this wrong.  (Along with quite a few other folk it seems from those internet references)
(Never have I vented a breeding pair.)
I guess it is only important to the breeding fish which is which. :wink: 
Sexing though I would guess is best done through venting esp if the fish are not full size and different ages.
For pair forming both the males and females should have a choice.

All the best James


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## baitfish2000 (Mar 11, 2005)

ok so the male is the larger and he is an Aggressive SOB - think he ripped a fin off my Comp.

Venting means ????? giving them choices of who to mate with ???


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Venting looking at their bits.
Eg http://www.fishhead.com/articles/ventsex.htm
I get the impression that not all males and females get on well.
Poping one of each (even a couple who have bred together in the past) into a new tank is a recipie for a dead one. (Usually the smaller one) at least for me.
From what I see you want at least 6 fish (about 3 of each sex) to get one or more compatable breeding groups/pairs.
Remove the rejected ones (you can spot these as these hang around the surface).
Bits of pipe ect can give more cover than rocks (as well as being easier to catch rejected fish) so breeders often use these.

Sorry your big male is agressive not seen Julies attack Altolamps myself.

All the best James


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