Opinions on sexing this Rotkeil Severum

[TahoeFish]

This Rotkeil severum is about a year and a half old. I thought it was a "she". But just wondering as "she" is in a tank with a super red severum and they get along fine but there is no hint of breeding behavior. The Rotkeil dominates the tank but is just a little bit of a chaser, no nipping or anything and when "she" is out of her corner she doesn't harass anyone. I am assuming the super red is a male (although I know sexing these is not that clear and I could be wrong) and then I started thinking that maybe both of these guys are male because of their behavior. Just curious what you think.

 

[aclockworkorange]

It's a female.

 

[Loves severums]

Rotkeil severum-female idk about the other severum

 

[ryansmith83]

My guess would be male because of the markings through the face. I realize they're missing from the nose, between the eyes, but I've not seen many females with striation around the eyes and on the cheek.

As for breeding activity, my super red male is now three years old and he's never shown any kind of spawning behavior. He's been kept with female severums of all types over the past three years and he's never even given them a second glance. I don't think there's any spawning instinct in him at all. I'm wondering if this is the case with a lot of heavily inbred/line-bred reds.

 

[mcsnapper1]

My guess would be male because of the markings through the face. I realize they're missing from the nose, between the eyes, but I've not seen many females with striation around the eyes and on the cheek.

As for breeding activity, my super red male is now three years old and he's never shown any kind of spawning behavior. He's been kept with female severums of all types over the past three years and he's never even given them a second glance. I don't think there's any spawning instinct in him at all. I'm wondering if this is the case with a lot of heavily inbred/line-bred reds.

I say male as well. As for the reds, mine is paired up with one of my greens and she has laid eggs a bunch of times, which he definitely guards,
but they never make it to fry. I think he might be sterile.

 

[aclockworkorange]

It's a male.

 

[TahoeFish]

It's a male.

What made you change your mind? And how are you coming up with male? Like Ryan indicated, are the face markings just enough that it seems male? Or are you basing on my reports about behavior?

I'm hoping it is male as I'm not interested in the havoc of breeding. I kind of like that my tank is pretty non-aggressive. Am I allowed to say that on this forum?

 

[TahoeFish]

As for breeding activity, my super red male is now three years old and he's never shown any kind of spawning behavior. He's been kept with female severums of all types over the past three years and he's never even given them a second glance. I don't think there's any spawning instinct in him at all. I'm wondering if this is the case with a lot of heavily inbred/line-bred reds.

Ryan, just out of curiousity, how big (long) is your red at 3 years?

 

[peathenster]

I'd say male as well...here's a pic of an adult female I got from Jeff....pretty clean face:

 

[aclockworkorange]

What made you change your mind? And how are you coming up with male? Like Ryan indicated, are the face markings just enough that it seems male? Or are you basing on my reports about behavior?

I'm hoping it is male as I'm not interested in the havoc of breeding. I kind of like that my tank is pretty non-aggressive. Am I allowed to say that on this forum?

Sorry, I am just messing around. I have experience with severums but not as much as the other guys that posted. I keep centrals. Listen to them (that's why I "changed" my mind).