Are these both male praecox rainbows?

I'm hoping to pick up 4 more rainbows this Friday, and I just want to be sure on the sexing of the 2 that I currently have. They both appear to have red fins, so I'm guessing they are both males? One of the fish is larger than the other, but their fin colors look identical. We noticed that one had a missing eye shortly after we got it, so we believe it was that way in the LFS. It doesn't seem to bother him at all!













I apologize that the pics aren't the best. They were hanging out in the corner of the tank until the camera came out, then they figured they'd start moving around. If these are both males, should I get 4 females, or 1 more male and 3 females? I checked the praecox's at my LFS and the females had REALLY yellow fins...there was not mistaking them.

 

No, they're both females. Males dorsal, anal and tailfins are all RED. Females can have some red, fading to orange and then yellow, but the analfin won't be brightly colored at all. You can clearly see the yellow at the fork of the tail, which is a dead giveaway.

I'd get 3 more females and a male

Here's a male.

 

No, they're both females. Males dorsal, anal and tailfins are all RED. Females can have some red, fading to orange and then yellow, but the analfin won't be brightly colored at all. You can clearly see the yellow at the fork of the tail, which is a dead giveaway.

I'd get 3 more females and a male

Here's a male.

The Praecox rainbows that I saw at the LFS had ALL yellow dorsal, anal, and tailfins. Do they turn red as the fish gets older? All of the rainbows at the LFS are 1/2 to 2/3 the size of mine.

I did notice on mine that the dorsal/analfins were red, but they are a pale red, not a very bright red.

Thanks for the help!

 

I've been in my LFS and seen a tank full of males, a tank full of females, or a mix. You can do a school of all females or all males, no problem. If you mix, though, 1 male for every 3 females.

If I'm not mistaken, they begin showing color at 6 weeks. I've made the mistake of picking out a large female that I thought was a male (there were only several in the tank), but there really is no mistaking the male when you see them side by side.

 

I've been in my LFS and seen a tank full of males, a tank full of females, or a mix. You can do a school of all females or all males, no problem. If you mix, though, 1 male for every 3 females.

If I'm not mistaken, they begin showing color at 6 weeks. I've made the mistake of picking out a large female that I thought was a male (there were only several in the tank), but there really is no mistaking the male when you see them side by side.

Got it! I believe the tank was mixed. The rainbows were smaller than mine, and the rainbows with the yellow fins had all yellow fins, not even a hint of red yet. I'll ask before I buy...not that I entirely trust what they will tell me !

 

Got it! I believe the tank was mixed. The rainbows were smaller than mine, and the rainbows with the yellow fins had all yellow fins, not even a hint of red yet. I'll ask before I buy...not that I entirely trust what they will tell me !

Older females will have some red at the edges, but like I said it will fade to orange and then yellow closest to the body. Males will have nothing but red. The analfin is a good marker - less colorful that the other fins on a female. Males analfins are bright red, like every other fin.

I've taught my LFS owner how to sex several fish. Just cause they own a business or work there doesn't mean they have all the answers. Now, cause he knows I go in to buy specific fish, he just hands me the net

 

I've taught my LFS owner how to sex several fish. Just cause they own a business or work there doesn't mean they have all the answers. Now, cause he knows I go in to buy specific fish, he just hands me the net

Nice!

 

Hawaii50, Jaysee is right on with this one. Good advise