Pics of Definite Blue Acara FEMALE

[Frank Castle]

I have a fish I bought thinking it was a female Blue Acara due to lack of coloration but it never showed any interest in my other, which is an Electric Blue. ....also has a good bit more attitude, but stays to itself mostly. Never really knew how to sex them, but I also considered it could be some other type of fish, like maybe a Geophagus or even a different Acara.

I know I'm asking a lot without pictures, but if anyone has pics or knows of fish that look practically IDENTICAL to a Blue Acara but with overall more drab coloration, help would be appreciated. It does have the orange trim on the dorsal fin as well and a black stripe through it's eye. There is also very light blue markings on the face and mouth, and another black line that starts at the back of the eye and runs along the lateral line in an irregular pattern, widening out towards the mid-section, and abruptly breaking up into faded washed-out appearance. There are also very very faint black vertical bars down it's entire length and white-tipped pelvic fins. It also has the typical bars across the nose and head that Blue Acaras exhibit as well. Could this be some kind of Earth-eater?

Also, are the sexing charcteristics different for Electric Blue than normal Blue? If so, what should I be looking for?

 

[freak78]

Ok the one at the top of the tank is a proven female electric blue acara. I just took the pics.

 

[Frank Castle]

freak78 oh wow...I would have never guessed the one with the big flashy fins was the FEMALE, how odd. Beautiful tank btw. Are they Surinamensis or Steindackneri?

Also just wanted to add, I said "white-tips" on the pelvic fins, but it is actually slightly blueish-white, and this also shows in the LIPS as well. There is a bit of speckling in the caudal fin, and at the rear-base of both the anal and dorsal fins near where they meet the body.....this is the NORMAL Blue Acara I am referring to.

 

[freak78]

I have two female and three males in the tank. This is the bigger of the two females.

 

[Frank Castle]

I have two female and three males in the tank. This is the bigger of the two females.

They all look the same to me except the dorsal/anal fin trailers and a larger , more fan-shaped caudal.......what should I be looking for in mine? Do males just have shorter less elaborate fins or is the only way of knowing when you see the ovipositor/plug?

 

[freak78]

Here's a video of me feeding. The two blue acara that are on the left that stay together are the pair. The smaller is female.

 

[Frank Castle]

Here's a video of me feeding. The two blue acara that are on the left that stay together are the pair. The smaller is female.

again, that tank is OUTSTANDING.....but I still see like NO difference LOL!!! They look the same....what I thought about the fins was smashed to smithereens when you said "the female is the smaller one"

AM I a blundering idiot, or are they just really really hard to sex?

ALL the fins are pointed too....this is driving me nutz

 

[freak78]

Thanks.

There's definitely a size difference which is probably easier to see in person. The males in my tank are a good half inch or larger than the females currently.

 

[Frank Castle]

Thanks.

There's definitely a size difference which is probably easier to see in person. The males in my tank are a good half inch or larger than the females currently.

So it's about the equivalent or harder of trying to figure out if this ORANGE came from California or Florida without a label, basically?

Would you say typical size of males is 8" or just in extreme situations and more commonly 6" and is there a rule-of-size that females will stop growing under any circumstance? If I word stuff poorly, feel free to let me know...

Sorry if this is tedious lol I'm reaching for anything right now at this point.

 

[freak78]

Two of my males are probably close to 6 inches probably more like 5.5 inches. The bigger female is about 4.5 inches. But the males are thick.