Help sexing L144

[plecoboy88]

Okay i know the obvious bits but with this one i cant tell. I got them both at the same time and were the same size, is it just a smaller male or an actual female?
this is the smaller one with small bristles..






And here is the bigger male with full bristles..


Any help would be grateful

 

[AndyEllard]

Both are males. :yes:

This is the only picture I could find of one of my females and I know it's not the best pic but as you can see there are no bristles. Some females can get bristles around the outer edge of their mouth , but not going up the centre of their snout.

 

[Hypanaddict]

I would say male too.

 

[plecoboy88]

Thanks peeps, so why are the bristles so small? Could it be because of the other male?

 

[bigbird]

i would agree, both look like males. It is possible that the second one is still maturing and is also the non dominant one. cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Lornek8]

Probably a dominant/subdominant thing.

 

[plecoboy88]

So if separated will they grow more prominent?

 

[Brengun]

Yup move one out and see the lesser one grow more bristles.
Easy way of sexing with those is look for the red patch on the back of the head. Males show it easily.

 

[plecoboy88]

That's what i wanted to hear, thanks peeps!