Simpsonichthys igneus - skewed sex ratio

[timebomb]

Hi, fellas,

When Ronnie left 2 pairs of Simpsonichthys igneus for sale in Eco-Culture's tanks a couple of months ago, I put in a breeding bowl into each tank. Why not collect the eggs while we wait for someone to buy the fish, I thought.

I wetted the peat more than a month ago and I had something like a dozen fry. They're been transferred several times, each time to a bigger container. I thought of transferring them into a proper tank just now but when I checked, all the fish turned out to be females. Shucks, talk about skewed sex ratios.

Does anyone have a male to spare?

Loh K L

[stormhawk]

Can't help you out here KL, I'm looking for males myself.

My last male died awhile ago and I'm down to 3 females now. I did collect some eggs from them just before the male died.

I did remember however that another person here still has them.

[turaco]

Hi KL,

I managed to raise about 60 pieces of this species & you know what? I've got only 5 males . That is 1 male to 12 females! This guys will probably die fast but happy . I should have seperate them to a much smaller number of fry per tub when they are still fry. Might have a better sex ratio this way. Thanks to my laziness. If I can make it to the gathering, I'll try to pass you a trio(or as many females as you want). No promise though.

[CM Media]

I like challenge Anyone who can spare a bag of eggs for exchange? I'm most willing to try on them to see if my trick works on them to balance out the sex ratio.

[RonWill]

I like challenge Anyone who can spare a bag of eggs for exchange?

Au, I'll take you on, my friend My last igneus trio are working hard to make sure their kind don't die off! Let me use my eyeballs and check their bowl tomorrow morning. Will drop off the collection at Eco Culture.

When the time comes, do update us whether your little experiment works.

Kwek Leong, my batch were almost always 'female-heavy', ie. skewed towards females, approx 70%... which is sometimes good when I wanted trios but you're out of luck as I have only one male left. He's a real beau and betcha you'll drool when you see his finnage extensions. He'll be at the Gathering, so folks, watch out for him there

Gan, with 5 males or 5 trios, there won't be enough for the NZKA box (unless they will accept smaller groups of the igneus... what say you, Shae?)

Bring them to the Gathering anyway. Not many but at least, we know that our 'safety-net'/'backing-up' is working.

[stormhawk]

Ron, your eyeball link is re-linked back to the main forum.

[RonWill]

Jian Yang,
I just rechecked the link and it opens up the "Photography and Magnification" album. These, by the way, are my 'eyeballs' especially when my eyesight aren't what they used to be.

In case anyone else still can't get to the link, look under 'Others album' at Page 2. The full URL is;
http://killies.com/forum/modules.php...view_album.php

[stormhawk]

I click on the link and still get re-directed back to the main forum that opens in another window.

Oh well, I think I know what you're trying to show to the guys. The Nature's Niche loupe, am I right?

[hwchoy]

maybe he has autologin enabled. the rest of us gets redirected because no cookie.

[CM Media]

I like challenge Anyone who can spare a bag of eggs for exchange?

Au, I'll take you on, my friend Will drop off the collection at Eco Culture.

Thanks Ron,

Let me know when you've offload it at Eco. It's always nice to have Eco shifted nearer to me. If any one of you would like to pay me a visit when you visited Eco, arrange with me and my door will always open for you guys provided I'm around of cause.

When the time comes, do update us whether your little experiment works.

I've done the experiment on the Simpsonichthys picturatus, Simpsonichthys flammeusand Simpsonichthys delucai and all prove to have equal sex ratio. Recently, I try on one of the Nothobranchius which according to the breeder will give more males and again the result I got was equal sex ratio.

Let's see if this work for the Simpsonichthys igneus . :P

[keehoe]

Hi Au, Can share with us your success story on how you unskew the species?

[nonamethefish]

I am also interested after ending up with two N. kafuensis males. Raising a small group of 6 fry.

[erikthur]

I am also curious - which method are you using, Au?
I read somewhere (ie I am too lazy too search for the reference) about how to deal with female-heavy species.
Divide and conquer...
Divide the brood into several tanks containing fewer fry.
Based on the theory that it is the development of a dominating male that will make other fry opt for become females.
But how to deal with a male-heavy species?

[whuntley]

Erik,

In some species it is simply a matter of keeping the males from killing all the (usually smaller) females before you can tell them apart.

Wright

[stormhawk]

pH and hardness of the water has played a role in some species.

What works for one species may require the reverse for the method to work on another species. If the eggs received are too precious, just raise as many fry as possible and hope that there is at least a number of both sexes, even if its skewed in favour of one gender.

When you've got eggs of your own, then and only then should you start experimenting and that is, if you don't mind the time that is consumed in such an attempt.

Kudos goes out to Au for having tried the method with a degree of success. I did not do what he did but I had a pretty balanced gender ratio for the flammeus. 2 males to 3 females produced.

[keehoe]

Anyone interested in Simp Igneus male? I am currently still having 8male 4 female. Sub-adult size and fully colour up.

For those who interested in the female as well. You might need to wait a while for its egg.

As of the ratio. Mine seems skew towards male. I separate them into 8 little tub for 2 weeks few days after the fry stablize. After than into growout tank.