Sexing

[fish on]

I am new to keeping Discus on my own, however I have been around them most of my life due to my Mom keeping them.

I own a tall 90-gallon show tank. In it I have the following:

2, Royal Pidgin Bloods.
2, Blue Diamonds.
2, Snake Skins.
1, Green.
15, Neon Tetras.
6, Flame Tail Tetras.

I would like to try and breed my fish someday. I am in the process of getting a larger tank for display and plan on using the 90-gallon tank for other species, maybe salt; if I ever get a breeding pair I would buy a 35-gallon tank solely for breeders.

First off I need to know how to sex the fish, for all I know I could have all males or all females and not even know it! Is there an easy way to do this? Also, would a Blue Diamond pair with a Snake Skin or any other combo?

Like I said, I’m new to this. My tank has been online for a year now without an incident so I’m doing something right.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[Ardan]

Hi,
You really can't be sure until you see one lay eggs, then its a female.
You don't know if its a male until it fertilizes and the eggs actually hatch.

Discus are good at hiding the sex ;D

hth

[Mykiss]

Hi Fish-on, Ardan has a point. YOu can't really tell until you see them lay eggs, but if you have to really sex them, there are a few postings in this breeding section that are really helpful. I am not sure exactly where it is but I know it is they if yoiu search for it. All I know (and it has worked so far when sexing large adult fish and not will small fish) is that females have rounded dorsal and anal fins while the males are more pointed. Also, generally, if the fishes are the same age, the lerger ones are usually the males. But it is usually all a guessing game till eggs are laid. good luck!
pt

[RyanH]

Because different strains have different physical features, it is difficult to sex them by looking at fin shape, size, etc unless they are siblings, and even then its pretty much a guessing game.

[fish on]

I am very surprised in this day and age that the sex of some fish is unknown until it lays egg's.

Oh well, if it happens it happens....

Steve

[nicholas76]

HI fish on,

mate my fish are breeding for the first time ever and its true its extremely hard to pick sex untill there doing it. The female i find has a very 'thick egg shoot'. This will only get this way when she is close to laying i find. The males tube will also become bigger but not compared like hers.

If there not breeding , in my opinion male and female shoots look practically identical, hence the difficulty in picking sex.

Many people will throw theory after theory but nothing is 100% untill you see it with your own eyes.


regards

Nick ;D