Sexing a Platy

S

suby7272

AC Members

Feb 2, 2005

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• Mar 11, 2005

• #1

Hi guys

I got myself two platys the other day. I asked the guys at lfs to give me a male and a female. He did (or appeared to do) some research and gave me these two. Once home, I looked at them real hard - and yet cannot make out any difference.
So, how does one sex a platy ?

Regards

Suby

 

B

blueturq

This hobby is addicting!

Jul 17, 2004

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Canada

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• Mar 11, 2005

• #2

You should get a few more females, so the male's harassment is sort of "spread out".

To sex platies you basically have to look at or under the belly. If you notice a more fan shaped fin under the belly then it should be a female. With males if you look under the belly, you will notice an iceicle looking thing, and this is called a "gonopodium".

 

Kissofthegorami

Broke College Student

Feb 24, 2005

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• Mar 11, 2005

• #3

Really easy! The male has a sort of a penis called a gonopodium in place of an anal fin. The female has a normal triangular fin.

 

S

suby7272

AC Members

Feb 2, 2005

162

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• Mar 11, 2005

• #4

Oh... my!!!!

Looks like either this guys cheated me or he was plain ignorant.
Both my platys seems to have the gonopodium :sad

 

Kissofthegorami

Broke College Student

Feb 24, 2005

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• Mar 11, 2005

• #5

He should be fired immediately. Platies and other livebearers are amongst the easiest fish to sex.