View Full Version : What's the sex of this Angelfish?
gustavo85
10-17-2008, 5:37 PM
I know they're not the best pictures but try to do the best you can. I'm having a little trouble sexing this Angelfish. Could you guys please help me?
gustavo85
10-17-2008, 6:49 PM
anyone brave enough?
kjr928
10-17-2008, 6:57 PM
I've heard that it's virtually impossible to sex angels.
Even if they pair up and lay eggs, it could actually be two females. The only way to know is to have a spawning pair who actually end up with babies. (Or so I've heard).
Nice fish though!
Slappy*McFish
10-17-2008, 7:01 PM
You can't tell just by looking at them. You have to vent Angels.
gustavo85
10-17-2008, 7:04 PM
You can't tell just by looking at them. You have to vent Angels.
That's what I've heard...how possible is that for someone with no experience in that matter?
archer772
10-17-2008, 7:57 PM
Can you get a better side shot with the fins fully extended
gustavo85
10-17-2008, 8:20 PM
Can you get a better side shot with the fins fully extended
That could be very hard buddy, it's not so frequent that this happens since he's sort of new in the tank, but any reason why you're asking for such a picture so I can check myself if it extends the fins?
archer772
10-17-2008, 8:29 PM
I go by a couple different things and its hard to describe to someone but by going by that pic I would have to guess female. Now before everybody starts telling me they cant be sexed my record is 80%+/- at least when I can sit in front of the tank and look at them
The only way to accurately determine their genders is when they spawn. The shape of the tip of the ovipositor and its position helps determine which is male and which is female.
PopPopsfish
10-17-2008, 9:22 PM
The only way to accurately determine their genders is when they spawn. The shape of the tip of the ovipositor and its position helps determine which is male and which is female.
We agree, :iagree:
PopPopsfish
10-17-2008, 9:26 PM
I go by a couple different things and its hard to describe to someone but by going by that pic I would have to guess female. Now before everybody starts telling me they cant be sexed my record is 80%+/- at least when I can sit in front of the tank and look at them
:rofl: We have been breeding for over twelve years and I still can not be certain until they spawn, I have some pics of Angels I know the sex of. Wanna play a game? If you get 80% correct I will give you a proven pair for free just pay shipping. You have a 50/50 chance , nothing to loose I will even send the answers to someone here at AC (my choice of recipient)a MOD
Slappy*McFish
10-17-2008, 10:15 PM
A free breeding pair? Heck, I'll play! lol
lucy42083
10-17-2008, 10:38 PM
:rofl: We have been breeding for over twelve years and I still can not be certain until they spawn, I have some pics of Angels I know the sex of. Wanna play a game? If you get 80% correct I will give you a proven pair for free just pay shipping. You have a 50/50 chance , nothing to loose I will even send the answers to someone here at AC (my choice of recipient)a MOD
Nice, nothing to lose, better go for it!
:popcorn:
Draal5
10-18-2008, 10:09 PM
Pops I am surprised to here you say that I have also been around 80% but its been with my own angels that I have raised from fry. Most of us old timers can do this but I could not go into a store and pick M or F from their or any other persons stock.
I will how ever take that challenge
PopPopsfish
10-18-2008, 11:15 PM
Pops I am surprised to here you say that I have also been around 80% but its been with my own angels that I have raised from fry. Most of us old timers can do this but I could not go into a store and pick M or F from their or any other persons stock.
I will how ever take that challenge
How about with the fish I got from you . You will win a pair that has formed from your own stock . And it will start all over again , you raise em and I pick um up . Vicious cycle but I'm game if you are:devil: LOL
Come on want some fish back!!!
I go by a couple different things and its hard to describe to someone but by going by that pic I would have to guess female. Now before everybody starts telling me they cant be sexed my record is 80%+/- at least when I can sit in front of the tank and look at them
Behavior tells just as much as appearance. Anything quarter body size or smaller is just a guess, at least for me. At a good half dollar body size 80% is about average for most breeders experienced with angels. This is live & in person, with a group of settled in fish. Flip a coin for pictures.
You also have to remember that plain guessing is 50%, so it isn't a huge margin. Anyone can sex angels with 100% accuracy half the time.
How the 80% often comes about is by observing a tank of potential breeders of reasonable size, and out of the group picking two that are most likely male & female. These fish have often been in the breeder's care for some time, so there is some experience with their behavior. There is also some gut instinct involved.
Star_Rider
10-23-2008, 12:45 PM
I agree.. with my own stock i have been able to ssex the angels.. my wilds are a different story.. absolutely no difference between male and female.. the males develop sooner and seem to get larger(guessing here)
but I have had the wilds for 2 years now and watched the first signs of what may be a wild pair forming...lip locking with the smaller angel pushing the large male backwards.
I suspect the males of intolerance of same sex(conspecific aggression is high )
I now have 2 really large wilds in separate tanks which I suspect are males as they could not tolerate each other in a large tank.
but only 1 is confirmed haveing bred successfully with a domestic female.
Slappy*McFish
10-23-2008, 5:24 PM
Again, with that being said, the only sure way to sex angelfish is through venting and/or observing the breeding tubes. The rest is just guess work, educated guessing or not.
Star_Rider
10-23-2008, 5:45 PM
:iagree: agree this is the best way