Sexual dimorphism identification of Chelmon rostratus, the Copperband Butterfly,

[Ricox]

I have just read through this amazing thread! I have recently added a copperband to my display and is eating spirulina brine pretty well. I noticed on your male copperband there are a few small white spots on the tail fin mine also has these. do you know what they are and are you planning any treatment? (Assuming Ich)

 

[OrionN]

Picture just now in my DT

 

[OrionN]

I have just read through this amazing thread! I have recently added a copperband to my display and is eating spirulina brine pretty well. I noticed on your male copperband there are a few small white spots on the tail fin mine also has these. do you know what they are and are you planning any treatment? (Assuming Ich)

I don’t see any spots on my CBB. I am not sure on the spots that you see but the tail is growing out from been injured due to fin rots. This AM the male tail is back to normal size and the female tail is almost there. She list almost all her tail. About 2/3 gone and she was having to spend a lot of efforts to propel herself. Fortunately, all back to normal.
I also don’t have any filter sock on my tank so there are a lot of particulates in the water.

 

[Xanthurum]

Hoping for the best! Both were established but from different tanks. I’m hoping I chose a male and a female. Initially there was some fin flaring and circling but that was very short lived. One nip from the one I think is a female toward the maybe male but then they went their separate ways. For now the one I think is a female is scared of the maybe male. The maybe male is very interested in being around the female but the female swims away whenever he tries to get close. No aggressive behavior like fin flaring is happening so I’m taking that as a good sign.

 

[OrionN]

Good luck. How ling have you had them together?

 

[Xanthurum]

@OrionN about 3 hours now. The initial aggression lasted less than 5 minutes. Since then they have been staying away from each other mostly. The tank is 600 gallons so they have room be alone. It would be awesome if they pair up but i suppose I’d settle for coexisting

 

[Ricox]

I don’t see any spots on my CBB. I am not sure on the spots that you see but the tail is growing out from been injured due to fin rots. This AM the male tail is back to normal size and the female tail is almost there. She list almost all her tail. About 2/3 gone and she was having to spend a lot of efforts to propel herself. Fortunately, all back to normal.
I also don’t have any filter sock on my tank so there are a lot of particulates in the water.

Yeah not too sure what it was just really small white spots on the tail. The ones on mine ended up disappearing and I can't see them on your new photos. Happy to say my first copperband was a success looking fat and happy! (so far at least)

 

[Xanthurum]

My attempt at creating a pair has failed. The more I looked at them the more it was apparent that I had 2 females. I was still hoping that they would coexist since the tank is rather large but that was not the case. I have separated them and will continue to search for a male.

 

[Xanthurum]

Anyone want to take a shot at sexing this one? Never mind

 

[OrionN]

A friend of mine, @alton, is trying to pair CBB. He recently put two CBB together. The female is smaller than the male by a significant amount. I think this may be important, similar to pairing Mandarin.
So far I know of the three pairing recently, two case where the female is smaller, it go through fine even if we did not acclimated them together.
One case where the female larger did not work out.
I my case the female was smaller but was the resident fish and the larger male was added. She chased him for a short time until he turn the table on her and she stop. I. @alton case, the female was also the resident fish but much smaller than the male. There was no fighting.
Anybody with paired or unsuccessful pair please chime in. We can learn from each other.

 

[OrionN]

Alton’s pair

 

[exnisstech]

Well I added the male to the DT last night. I kept him in a tote and fattened him up for a month and a half so he would be nice and healthy. I added him just before lights out. As soon as I placed him in the tank the female came over and they swam a few circles around each other but show zero signs of aggresion so I left a night light on and went to bed. When lights came in this morning I see both CBB swimming all over the tank together. I'm very optimist at this point. Thanks @OrionN for all the info. Now I'm on the lookout for a female flame angel

UDATE :
This ended up not working out. Resident CBB pinned the new comer in a corner and once I started seeing fun damage I pulled the new one.

 

[Vivid Creative Aquatics]

This is a really cool thread - glad it bubbled up to the top.

I have always been curious if my Copperband was a he or a she.

I've had this one for about 7 years.

Based on the information in this thread, I'm guessing she is a female?

What does everyone think?

 

[OrionN]

Tbis is a realy cool thread - glad it bubbled up to the top.

I have always been curious if my Copperband was a he or a she.

I've had this one for about 7 years.

Based on the information in this thread, I'm guessing she is a female?

What does everyone think?

I agree. It is a fat female IMO

 

[Vivid Creative Aquatics]

I agree. It is a fat female IMO

She's take that as a compliment - LOL

Seriously though - I think he heft saved her. mid last year she had an episode where she got spooked and she went zooming around the tank and ultimately broke the tip of her beak. I thought she was done for sure. She went a full 14 days without even trying to eat, and then another few weeks relearning the length of her beak (she had really bad aim) before she could reliable get any food. You wouldn't be abel to tell by looking at her today.

On the next tank upgrade, it would be pretty neat to try and introduce a male to her.

 

[Ricox]

I am going to say tentatively say female? Would that be correct?

 

[OrionN]

I am going to say tentatively say female? Would that be correct?

zi would guess that you have a female also

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I don't know if these pics will work to identify, what do you think!

 

[OrionN]

Needs a profile picture. The closer the better

 

[Boosterman]

@OrionN I think mine is female. Would you agree?