Sunburst Platys... M or F?

[fishlvr]

Can someone tell me how to tell the difference between male and female sunburst platys? I'm having trouble finding a profile on these and I'm curious to what I have.

I have 8 total, so I'm sure there's gotta be a mix. I was looking at them today and I noticed a few of them have very swollen bellies, maybe pregnant?? They've been in my tank for several weeks now and as far as I know, they havent spawned yet. My other fish are huge pigs, however, and could have eaten em up before I could even find out

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[WharfRat]

The female will anal fin will be a deffinate triangle and the male will be shaped more thin as this is his reproductive organ. The gonopodium (sp?)

 

[Lakota]

This website shows you what they look like. The one on the left is the male and the one on the right is the female. You can clearly see the pointy look of the males back fin vs. the females fanned out back fin.

http://fish.orbust.net/livebearers.html

Hope it helps
Lakota

 

[fishlvr]

Thanks, both of you, for your replies. After looking them over, I think I can tell which are which. Definately a good mix, but since they wont sit still its hard to get an accurate count, lol.

By the way, any visible signs that a platy is carrying? Anything like the guppy gravid spot?

Thanks

 

[WharfRat]

yep almost identical..except the female platy isnt as transparent in the abdomen as a guppy

 

[Lakota]

Bred females have the usual livebearer gravid (dark) spot in the anal region.

Females will get progressively fuller as the fry develop inside their mother. Fullness in the front of the belly indicates a pending delivery. Mostly just like guppies and other livebearers.

Lakota