Sexing discus without breeding event...?

[Xirxes]

Age old question... WHAT SEX IS MY DISCUS?!?!

I have a proven male, spawned with a now deceased female a while back many times, and i got what i thought may be a replacement, but i cannot be sure.

They seem to be pairing up, but they both just stand side to side and shimmy shimmy shimmy for most of the day. Has only been abou 1.5 weeks, but i am getting annoyed. The male will peck at a leaf, but then the unknown one will peck at a leaf too!!! No spawn yet grrrr

Anyways, how can i tell if it is male or female without a breeding event? fish is about 5 inches tal to lips. both fins rounded (so are the male's), and i don't believe in that "extend the visual line of the fins through the tail" mummbo jumbo.

Both bulges on the sex organs look the same. Is this behaviour of nonstop all day shimmies to be expected between two males? They do not fight.

[doc3toes]

sounds like to me that your male is waiting for your suspected female to drop the eggs, but she isn't quite there yet. pretty sure i saw a post from Liz saying 2 male wont usually pair off. i try feeding flake only for a week, then feed only FBS and FBW for 2 or 3 days and do a big WC. that seems to get mine going. im sure someone more experienced will chime in for ya. but thats my 2 cents.

[smsimcik]

I had 2 males do exactly what your describing. They went on like that for over a month.

Steve

[doc3toes]

well there ya go. no true telling until the fry are swimming!

[AADiscus]

How do you know they haven't spawned already and the eggs were eaten before you got up and look in the tank. ;)

[smsimcik]

How do you know they haven't spawned already and the eggs were eaten before you got up and look in the tank. ;)

Because I eventually separated them, put them with proven females, and they spawned. They both successfully raised fry. Improbable I know, but it did happen. I swear.

Steve