Looks like a fine quality female or a possible young male. My males‘ dorsal fin took its shape rather quickly and the visual differences became apparent in a small amount of time.

 

Thank you for your response! I’ve gotten a lot of mixed responses 😂

 

Hi!😃
Always remember, the anal fin is pointy, it's male and the female, it's more rounded. This is how I was taught.

 

Hi...again!😃
I believe after looking again, you maybe correct.

 

I suspect both may be males but with the first one it’s difficult it to be sure. I once had three, one obviously a male, the others I hoped would be females. But as it turned out all were males. The two smaller ones did not develop the typical male characteristics until I removed the dominant male and put them in separate tanks.

 

Some of the domestic color varieties of cacatuoides can have very colorful females, not sure why. I would say it well could be a female, but the other problem with domestic strains is that sometimes they aren't very good breeders. And, as Auballagh stated, Cockatoos are more often a harem breeder. I have bred wild or near wild as pairs on occasion, but domestics always seem touchy.

 

Domesticated Cacatuodies are a notoriously hard apistogramma species to sex when you. In recent years, females have been selectively bred for male characteristics, something no other apistogramma species has been subjected to so diligently. As previously stated by Auballagh and Mr. Chromedome most apistos are polygamous and cactuodies especially so. Many keep upwards of 5 females for each male, but a pair should be fine. Just be wary of any aggression.

For me to ID them fully, the fish would need to be at least a few months older. I would say you have 2 young males now given the fin extensions on the lower fish and the colouration on the first fish. However, the first could also be a female, as it is hard to differentiate at this age with domesticated cacatuoides.

 

Domesticated Cacatuodies are a notoriously hard apistogramma species to sex when you. In recent years, females have been selectively bred for male characteristics, something no other apistogramma species has been subjected to so diligently. As previously stated by Auballagh and Mr. Chromedome most apistos are polygamous and cactuodies especially so. Many keep upwards of 5 females for each male, but a pair should be fine. Just be wary of any aggression.

For me to ID them fully, the fish would need to be at least a few months older. I would say you have 2 young males now given the fin extensions on the lower fish and the colouration on the first fish. However, the first could also be a female, as it is hard to differentiate at this age with domesticated cacatuoides.

Hi!😃
That's sooo neato! Wow!😃 you do learn something every day; thanks!