# Pitcus catfish male or female?



## hckygirl_31

i just got a pitcus catfish 4 days ago and i wanted to know how to tell if ita a male or female because i wanted to breed them so i need help on tellin male from female :help:


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## smark

I found this on the web. 
It says they should be kept in groups of about 3 to 5.
Pictus Catfish
Sexing

Little information is known on how to reliably distinguish between male and female P. pictus. A mature female may appear plumper than the males when she is heavy with eggs, otherwise it is impossible to differentiate between the two sexes based on appearances. 
http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=pictus

Do you have Pics?
Maybe as with the Corydoras the females are bigger in size. Real nice looking Cat fish though.

Hello and Welcome to the FF.


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## hckygirl_31

i will get pics up soon ill try to put some up today i only have one right now but want more to try and breed them even though its hard to do. i also have 2 bala sharks i'm trying to breed but i have to get some females first.


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## hckygirl_31

i hope this pics will work they are when i first got him so thts why he is in the bag still






























there not that clear but you can still see him:fish:


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## darkstar

Unfortunately those pictures are of little use when trying to sex them...overhead shots would be best but even then sexing pictus is almost impossible unless the female is gravid.
With regards to breeding them, I don't know of any reports on succesful spawning of pictus in home aquaria...and while I'm sure it's not impossible, I think you may be giving yourself too much of a challenge. If however you decide to try and spawn them then you have the best of luck from me. 
As smark says, they're best kept in small groups and ime they much more interesting when kept in a group, single pictus tend to be much more shy and reclusive.

Here's the PC page on them:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=276


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## hckygirl_31

well i have a 30g tank with 2 bala sharks him/her and another bottom feeder i had a gold gourami but i think the catfish killed him cuz he died a few days after i got the catfish could this be true os no and would a 30g be big enough for 2 catfish with the others i have?


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