Help sexing these L134

[fishbowl]

It's been over a year since I've posted photos of these fish, and I was told to give them some time.
Well they're now around 3 years old. Fish one is 8cm (stays under a piece of driftwood, and has yellow spots around vent). Fish two is 7.5cm (caves all the time, no real spikes on tail). Fish three is 7cm (just hangs around filter, and sometimes goes into a cave).

Anyhow please help me sex this trio, as the last time I added another fish, there was a big fight on the first day, and I lost one fish, so any assistance will be appreciated.

Trio

Fish Two

Fish One

Trio

 

[Nat's Fish]

I'd say two females & a male but the smaller one may not be showing spikes or anything if the caving fish is the dominant male. Are you positive they are 3 years old?
Cheers
Nat

 

[beencees]

Looks like one male and two females to me

 

[fishbowl]

L134

Thanks for the reply swordfish, and beencees. To answer your question, I've raised fish two from 3cm, so it's definitely around 3 years old. I added fish one & three over a year ago, and I was told at the time they were around 2 years old (but as the breeder had them in a large grow out tank, they could have been different ages).
I've recently added some new caves in the tank, and have noticed fish two occupy one of them, with half it's body hanging out, so I'm not sure what to make of that behavior, if some of the leopard frog experts can help?

 

[beencees]

Not at all unusual for female L134's to sit in caves and in fact both mine do exactly what you have described and sit in the mouth of their favorite caves.

 

[fishbowl]

L134

Thanks for the info, does that mean it's safe to assume that fish one & two are females, and fish three being the smallest out of the three could be a juvenile male?

 

[beencees]

Thanks for the info, does that mean it's safe to assume that fish one & two are females, and fish three being the smallest out of the three could be a juvenile male?

Yeah i'd say that's a pretty safe assumption with the fish in the middle in the top pic being the male

 

[Irene0100]

one is either gravid or has bloat. I suggest a diet of peas for a few days and see.

 

[fishbowl]

L134

Thank you for the replies. Irene, these fish are fed peas every second day as part of the greens diet mixture.
i assume you're talking about fish one which looks gravid?

 

[fishbowl]

L134

If it seems that one of the females is gravid, and the assumed "young male" is not showing any spikes on the tail, is it safe to try, and get a more mature male to add to the existing trio?:dk:

 

[Brengun]

Perhaps he just isnt settled in yet. My males will sometimes lose the hairs on the tail if they are unsettled. They come back when its breeding season.

 

[Irene0100]

I expect the male is fine, maybe you just need to do a dry season on them for a couple of weeks then go into wet season.

 

[anfo]

Try getting mature male....