Males are brighter colored, and generally have longer and more pointed fins, while females are more matte and have trasparent, shorter and more rounded fins. Females also have more elongated caudal peduncle.

Breeding of Poropanchax normani is relatively easy, and in a densely planted, mature aquarium some fry may begin to appear without further intervention. They will spawn even in a small aquarium with some fine leaved aquatic plant, or floating plants with long roots, or woollen spawning mops and a small air driven sponge filter. Most breeders use a pair or single male with two to three females. The eggs, which are relatively large for such a small fish will hatch in 12-14 days, and the small larvae require microscopic foods such as rotifers during the first weeks. Some aquarists like to remove the adults after spawning to ensure that there is no predation, yet others leave them in the aquarium because the adults rarely predate on their own eggs or fry. The vibrant blue color in the upper irises is even visible on fry that are just a few days old. The young can be expected to reach sexual maturity within 6 months.