# Cyathopharynx furcifer Ruziba sexing



## JMENDY (Nov 28, 2012)

*** tried with little success to research how to sex these fish.

I currently have 16 juvies growing out, with 3 digging pits and showing some dominance in their corners of the tank. I would like to sell all other excess males soon and just keep 2 males and the remaining females. 
The only information *** been able to find is that the fins underneath are longer in the males then the females, the females have narrower bodies and the starting of the colours through the sides of the fish and black through the fins indicating male. I however only really see this with the 3 digging pits, all the rest are silver. 
Their sizes range from the largest at about 10 cm and the smallest around 6 cm.

Are there any other methods or signs to look for that would indicate male/female differences at this size?


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I guess you are looking for a way to tell young sub dom males from females?
I for sure do not know any other than venting and I dunno how hard they are to vent. Sorry.
Prob too small even for venting. Only way I would guess is keep removing males untill no more colour up or dig pits. Those I guess, would be all females and you can then add as many males back as you want.
Kind of has an advantage of stopping em breeding very small and letting the females grow to a good size before the trials of holding eggs and young.

All the best James


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

I would not expect much from the sale of your reject males (personaly I would keep em for a big show tank) and suspect you want to keep all your females as breeders.
Sadly not many want to keep big male featherfins as show fish. I dunno why other than they are demanding and need a lot of tank room. Looks wise, knockout of caurse.

All the best James


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## JMENDY (Nov 28, 2012)

Thanks for your help, i was considering separating them, but i have to set up another tank before i can do that. Your right, it would be better for any females in the lot to be as big as possible before being enticed into breeding.

Its a shame about their temperament, as they are such gorgeous fish, i would love to keep more then 2.

Thanks again


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## S4surf (Oct 18, 2006)

I've always used the fin length method and had pretty good success. But that size is tough.

What size tank are you using and why do you only want 2 males? I have had females dig pits when they were left alone without a male so be careful what you move out. I agree with james on the sale of those males, unless you find someoen who needs one to fill a group out. I would just keep them all 

Steve


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

First thing you will notice is an elongated anal fin in the males. P.S, the best piece of advice I have ever been given in regards to these fish (not that I took it, and learn't the hard way), was, "no more than two males in a six foot tank". You may get away with it for a while, but it's good advice.


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## JMENDY (Nov 28, 2012)

They are currently in a 4 foot tank, as until recently i had 'the grow out tank' for my partner in my place who was trying to get me into cichlids and cichlid breeding, and now *** found some tang cichlids that i love. Im looking into getting a 6 foot set up in the coming weeks.

What i have heard often is as said, that they need a lot of room, they dont like sharing, and too many males may result in none showing colours unless breeding, so that is why i only want to keep 2.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

My guess is you need to go for the crowded method of breeding em in just a 48" tank.
If you alow em to set up full territories long term you only have room for one male if that.

Very odd fish big featherfins. You give em room they take it up to territory space per male of 48" x48" bottom space or more. Keep em crowded and you can even breed big ones in 24"x24"x24" bare tank but see no natural behavior or full colours.

I would just keep em all and see how it goes. (sub dom males being something you just have to put up with to keep em crowded.

No promices, you kind of want a swimming pool size tank for that.

All the best James


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Sorry for the double post but forum says I was too slow with my edits. :-?

My guess is you need to go for the crowded method of breeding em in just a 48" tank or even a 72" tank.
If you alow em to set up full territories they just grab more and more room.
Happier but more aggressive.

Very odd fish big featherfins. You give em room they take it up to territory space per male of 48" x48" bottom space or more. Keep em crowded and you can even breed big ones in 24"x24"x24" bare tank but see no natural behavior or full colours.

I would keep em all and see how it goes. (sub dom males being something you just have to put up with to keep em crowded.)

No promices, you kind of want a swimming pool size tank for that. Not just a 72"x24"x24" though thats a great size for a big bunch but you will kind of wish you went bigger or went smaller. The worste tank size is the one that allows em to show some natural behaviour but lets the aggression biuld without enough room for escape.

All the best James


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## S4surf (Oct 18, 2006)

noddy said:


> First thing you will notice is an elongated anal fin in the males. P.S, the best piece of advice I have ever been given in regards to these fish (not that I took it, and learn't the hard way), was, "no more than two males in a six foot tank". You may get away with it for a while, but it's good advice.


I'm not saying this is wrong noddy but your results may vary.

The breeder I used to get mine from had 3 males and 4-5 females in a 90 gal. They were always in color and produced many batches of fry with no casulties. The Ruziba's aren't as aggressive towards each other like most of the Ophthalmotilapia's from my experience.

Steve


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

S4surf said:


> noddy said:
> 
> 
> > First thing you will notice is an elongated anal fin in the males. P.S, the best piece of advice I have ever been given in regards to these fish (not that I took it, and learn't the hard way), was, "no more than two males in a six foot tank". You may get away with it for a while, but it's good advice.
> ...


Like James says, cramming them into a smaller tank may give different results. 
I'm sure everybody has different experiences bud. The group I had contained 4m (Kigoma Furcifers) in a 6' 210g tank. At one point I had three males all with large pits spawning. They produced hundreds of fry and all lived together for 3-4 years. One day all heck broke loose and the sub dominant male that had been spending his time filling out and growing his fins, decided to come down and try spawning. Long story short, one dead male and three males with no lips or fins left. They were always coloured up and displaying though.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

8) 
In some ways both your methods match my experience with em.
I could get my group of 7 to live well together in a 36"x15"x15" (original quarentine tank) but as a strict hirachy but bred.
Or in a 84"x24"x24" with territories and bower biulding and bred.

But all **** broke out every time I tried em in a 60"x18"x18". But they calmed every time in a realy big tank or the small tank.

Saying that my males never got much past 7", females 5". I read a full adult male (4 years old or so I guess) should reach 9" (females about 7"?) and may be very much harder to keep.

All the best James


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## S4surf (Oct 18, 2006)

I hear you guy's, every fish has a diff temperment.

The guy I orginally got mine from his males were 7=8" and females were an easy 6. I was fortunate once to ctch them breeding when stopping by and it really wasn't that bad. I kept mine in an 8x2x2 so I did not have issues with my geography.

To the OP,

Keep the whole group until there is trouble if you have the tank space to house one if its not. Ruziba's did not seem to be as angry at each other for lack of terms. like say a group of O. Boops.

Cheers,
steve


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