Bitaeniata - male, sneaker or female?

[nicktc]

I got this fellow from NKS tank for apistogramma bitaeniata 'blue'.

Thought it was a male initially but no so sure now.

It is constantly flaring with another smaller female, not those courtship type of flaring though.

Does a female color up so nicely?
This is a wild fish that is slightly over an inch.

[iwishweallcouldwin]

If your piece is a female, you've gotten yourself a belladonna!

My take would still be a male though, because a lyretail seems to be emerging soon?

[sheng]

i guess it a male as female will have partially black pelvic fins

[foocp]

Looks like a male to me.

[marle]

If your piece is a female, you've gotten yourself a belladonna!

I second that.

[Luc Tango]

I just popped by NKS. I was wondering why you did not get the more confirmed looking males if you wanted one? (those bigger sized and well developed fins)

I'm no expert at apistogrammas as I am still learning but the female that I had sported a slight lyre tail much like yours and was bigger sized than the male. kind of against the norm eh? sexing apistogrammas is a major headache to me but its a fun issue to tackle.

[joopsg]

Luc, The extension dorsal need to be kept in acidic ph then will be more obvious.
Therefore, if you want to know which are male. Pick out the alpha male first then. the sub alpha male will take over as alpha.
Bitaeniata only male have lyretail. If one much more easy way to see is the marking on the cheeks.
Female do not don those shiny marking.

[illumnae]

Henry I had confirmed female bitaeniatas sporting the metallic blue markings on the cheek previously. They spawned for me so I'm 100% sure they're females

For the fish in the pictures, I'm pretty sure it's a male due to fin shape and dorsal extensions

[genes]

Male, 110%.

[nicktc]

My personal experience with wild fishes is that they don't quite follow the norm.

I have had very 'handsome' female before that laid eggs before.

Reaseon why I pick this fellow is because it is the one only one that spot red/orange dorsal, anal and tail fins. The rest of the bits are all blue.

Interesting discussion here.

I will be away for a while tomorrow onwards, so pardon my lack of response.

[genes]

Another sign if it being a male. Look at the submissive color of your female in your 2nd pic with the male behind her...

[Luc Tango]

ah, Nick, i understand why you picked that piece then. you must have spent quite some time fishing that piece out because all the fishes in that NKS tank looked pretty much the same to me.

Eugene, thanks for the tip, learnt something new today!