I have been hoping to find of female Stiphodons for a while, but every time a new shipment comes, there is always no female stiphodon in the batch.
I wondered if the importers do not keep females, history of trying stop us from reproducing the Stiphodon.
I had guarded that assumption until today when I was searching of information for a friend , and I found the most plausible answer.
We know the dimorphism between the adult male and the adult female Stiphodons. Females are almost devoid of color and has black bands on the body. However, in juvenile form we can't differ between males and females.

If this finding is true, I have noticed that females have shorter head than males and male's head is slightly more pointed.
I understand better now why importers thought it was another species or variety.
This is why females Stiphodon is labeled as another type:
http://www.qianhuchina.com/All_Fish_Pix.asp?lx=small&anid=81&nid=688
Quick summary for those who can't understand the story:
The wholesalers order the red neon goby under the designation of Stiphodon sp but if they want to have of Stiphodon females, it must order of black lines.
The pictures speak for themselves.
This is my deduction on this fish.
Picture of ihit member of forum aqualifestyle-france
IHIT is a wholesaler who has ordered Stiphodon black lines.



Many thanks to my friend "stardust" for his help in translating the subject.
I wondered if the importers do not keep females, history of trying stop us from reproducing the Stiphodon.
I had guarded that assumption until today when I was searching of information for a friend , and I found the most plausible answer.
We know the dimorphism between the adult male and the adult female Stiphodons. Females are almost devoid of color and has black bands on the body. However, in juvenile form we can't differ between males and females.

If this finding is true, I have noticed that females have shorter head than males and male's head is slightly more pointed.
I understand better now why importers thought it was another species or variety.
This is why females Stiphodon is labeled as another type:
http://www.qianhuchina.com/All_Fish_Pix.asp?lx=small&anid=81&nid=688
Quick summary for those who can't understand the story:
The wholesalers order the red neon goby under the designation of Stiphodon sp but if they want to have of Stiphodon females, it must order of black lines.
The pictures speak for themselves.
This is my deduction on this fish.
Picture of ihit member of forum aqualifestyle-france
IHIT is a wholesaler who has ordered Stiphodon black lines.



Many thanks to my friend "stardust" for his help in translating the subject.
Last edited by tyrano34 on Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:02 pm; edited 2 times in total