Sexing Tiger Barbs

[Anasfire]

I've got 12 (at least I think there are 12!) small tiger barbs in my 2ft community tank and have been trying to sex them. From what I've read the males will present with a bright red nose, ventral's and bright red line on their dorsal where as the females will look a lot paler.. My problem is 2 fold. Firstly the little blighters won't stay still long enough for me to have a decent look at them coz they all know me as 'That Lady who bringeth food' so get all excited when I come near and secondly from the short periods of time I've managed to have a decent look at them it seems I only have 1 female out of the whole shoal! This can't be right! I mean statistically the odds of the LFS dude catching 11 males and 1 female is astronomical so it must be that I'm either counting different females as 1 or I've just been REALLY unlucky and only gotten 1!

My question is: Does anyone know a sure fire method to sex these little guys?

I don't think they are quite at breeding size yet they are still pretty small..like the size of a serpae or black skirt tetra.. and I've seen them as large as a dwarf gourami so I know they have a lot of growing to do.

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks

[brettc777]

Get them surgically sexed is the most sure fire way! but not cost effective, maybe they need more time to colour up? are the young?

[Anasfire]

I'm assuming their small size also indicates youth. Don't know exactly how old they are. I've read they aren't sexually mature until around 7 weeks old anyway and can be placed among adults at 5 weeks so I guess mine are anywhere from 5 weeks onwards. I'll let them grow a little and see I guess.

Ta Brett