2 Tinctorius in a 27gallon tank

[bogalog]

Hi all,
I have found 2 tinctorius (i think they are powder blue morph) in my local pet shop, and have been looked after well.

I am very tempted to make them my first darts, but am concerned as I cant sex them (the shop says they are about 9months old). What happens if they arent a pair? are fights guaranteed?
I spoke to the shop owner and he says he is unsure what sex they are, but hasnt seen either calling.

Should I go for them and hope? If they do fight I'm not sure I have enough space for a second tank - I would have to sell or swap one of them.

If it will probably be ok, I will most likely go and take them today

Thanks for your time

Edit: just wanted to say they are very bold, and haven't been seen fighting at all

[bogalog]

Well, I took the plunge, and they seem very happy in their new home, eating all the fruit flies i give them, and exploring the tank.

This is the first, by my best judgement it is male:



This is the second - i think female:


Can anyone give me their opinion on genders?

Thanks

Edit: I will try and get hold of a better picture tomorrow, I dont want to stress them too much at the moment

[MichaelS]

You might have it backwards. The 2nd one has the toe tips of a male. When the toes spread out wide and are kind of heart shaped that is an indication of it being a male. An arched back and wide abdomen are indications of a female. I can't hazard a good guess on the first picture.

[bogalog]

Hiya, thanks for the replies.
I realise the pictures are poor quality, it was through the glass without flash so it didn't stress them. I will try and get some proper pics tomorrow.
The tank is 18Lx18Dx24H, so not the ideal shape for tincs, but not crowded either. I'm hoping I either have a pair, or there is sufficient room so there is no bullying.

[John911]

27gal is pretty generous for 2. I have 3 in a 20 long so far and they're doing great.

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[JimO]

The second one looks like a male for sure. The first one could be a male as well. However, with Tincs, it's the females that show the most aggression towards one another. Two males can get along in a tank that size with some wrestling here and there. Just watch for weight loss in one of them. That will tell you that one is being intimidated to the point that it's not getting enough to eat.

Also, they look like Patricias, but it's hard to tell. Patricias have little to no markings on solid light blue legs, while Powder Blues have a lot of spots/markings on a light blue background. In addition, Powder Blues have more black on their back than white and Patricia's have yellow more often then Powder Blues.