Male or Female:

[Barb Newell]

Hi, can anyone take a guess as to whether this is a male or female.

Barb

[April]

I'd say a male.. looks like a hansome boy to me....

[Mr. Limpet]

Barb, do you have a picture with a better side view of the face and fins? That is what I look at primarily. From that pic, it is not clear, not that it is ever 100% clear. Paul.

[Barb Newell]

Not sure if these are any better, can't get a clear pic.

[Barb Newell]

x

[fcdiscus]

My guess would also be a male Barb! and since I am always wrong- now you know! Frank ;D

[MGR]

Hi Bard i agree with April and Frank looks like a male ;D


Mgr

[Barb Newell]

Thanks Frank (alway wrong! LOL I don't think so), April and Mgr. :) I hope you're all right. I have a female turq doing the shake and ready to spawn, I put them together last night. I'll let you know. :)

Barb

[MGR]

Wish you the best of luck bard and keep please keep some updates going :D



Mgr

[Barb Newell]

Thanks Mgr, I will!

[limige]

my guess is male as well, but hey it's just a guess, i go by behaviour more than anything.

[brewmaster15]

I say male also, but I'm usually only right in these guesses 50% of the time ;D
-al

[JeffreyRichard]

A fairly reliable way to determine sex of an adult discus was published in Discus Brief about 8 years ago. Looking at the fish from the side (profile), the line down the Dorsal (Top) fin and the Anal (bottom) fins after the slope toward the tail. If you extend these lines, they'll intersect at a point behind the fish. If these (imaginary) lines touch the tail fin, this is usually an indication the fish is a female. If the lines do not touch the tailfin, then this indicates a male. It seems male have higher bodies, while females are laterally longer.

Based on the pix, I'd agree with the masses and say it's most likely a male.

[Barb Newell]

Thanks all! We'll find out. I've got a little female dancing and shaking in front of him/her, so far just the odd bow.
A couple of weeks ago I had two fish shaking, cleaning the pot, bowing.... they spawned, turned out it was two females :-\.

Barb :)

[Mr. Limpet]

I was looking for the tail, to see what Jeffrey described. Aslo, Males tend to have a thin trailing ray off the top of the dorsal fin. And finally IME, The face on the males from the mouth up, tends to be flatter and steeper than females. But, until you see them mate, you never know for sure. Good Luck. Paul.
Oh yeah, I think it's a male. Going way out on a limb here.

Looks like a big boy to me

mike heppner

[Rick_May]

heres what Jeff was talking about, this is known female

[Rick_May]

here's a known male

[brewmaster15]

another indicator that I have seen be "reliable " is the angle of the body surrounding the vent. Females tend to have less a slope between fins and males have a greater slope.

... at least that what I have noted. It may be to accomodate the females tube during egg laying on inclined/vertical surfaces

-al

[brewmaster15]

Take a look at the angle in both of Ricks Pics. :)

[Rick_May]

I've noticed the same thing, it results in the female appearing more oval, and not being as round as the male.

[Rick_May]

hows this, same fish just croped, resized and rotated so they are at the same angle and size

[Barb Newell]

Nice job Rick!

This is a known female

[Barb Newell]

and this is..... a female or maybe a male?

[Rick_May]

I'd say female. line intersects caudal fin, and pelvic area isn't angled.

[Mr. Limpet]

Nice pics for illustration. Notice the Flat face/forehead and higher angle on the male. Or is that just what I want to see? I would say the questionable one is female. Paul.

[Sketchy]

...Okay, I am curious now too. Can anyone take a guess on this one?

[Sketchy]

...How 'bout this one too?

[Rick_May]

Sketchy,
those both appear to be too young to make a guess, the fish need to be atleast 9 months or older to to make a guess.

[Mr. Limpet]

Rick, they look old enough to me. Anyway, as long as there is no money involved, I would say they are both female. JMO. Paul.

[Sketchy]

...Good eye, Rick, I'm impressed. Both of these fish are kinda young and still growing. I was just very curious and wanted a little speculation as I have my own ideas based on daily observation. I tend to think the first fish is a young male and the second is a young female...

[Barb Newell]

Could someone take a guess on this one? Male or female? I've believed female, but now Im not sure.

Thanks,

Barb

[Barb Newell]

x

[crazy4discus]

look like a male to me but who cares great looking fish

[Barb Newell]

Hi crazy4discus, if this is a male guess what his name is.......... "JULIE" :-\ Julian maybe?


Barb :)

[CARY_GLdiscus]

Being That I know the age of this Fish I would bet Fmale! 8)

[Barb Newell]

Thanks Cary :)

Barb

looks like a male to me due to the GURTH but the back fin is round like a female tough one


i think you should bring to my fish room and put it in a tank with some of my fish and i will tell you after i get 10 spawns out of them and i'll send it back to you and tell ya :) :D ;D :D :)

just kiding!


GREAT LOOKING FISH THOUGH!!!!


Mike Heppner

[giroux68]

Based on these techniques, I figured that my most aggressive fish is a female that always picks on another female. 5 fish total, 2 male, 3 female. The one that bears the brunt is the smallest...Anyone observe which sex is the more aggressive or does it just depend on the pecking order of the fish? 2 of mine ( Male and Female?) are calm, 2 others are always aggressive toward eachother and toward the smallest.

[Barb Newell]

Thanks Mike, good idea! ;D ;D ;D ;D When I drop her/him off, I'll bring some of your fish home with me! Deal?

Barb :)

what fish are you looking at getting????

Mike Heppner

[Nightowl]

Hello, I believe both fish that you asked about are females. I'm basing this on the fact that I have a PB that looked "male- ish", w/ pointed fins, that recently laid eggs. I also have a "pair"that I purchased as a pair that both look like the 2nd fish in question, nice round body & rounded fins, that are both females. So w/out knowing the size of the fish I'm guessing both females. J.T. :vanish:

[Rick_May]

Barb,
This is a tough one. My first impressions are it’s a male, due to its thickness angle area between the pelvic fins and anal fins. However, if a line is drawn along the anal and soft dorsal fin the line does pass through the caudal fin, and usually with a male it doesn't. so I guess I'm down to only having a 50% chance on this (as I reach in my pocket for a quarter) ....usually that means I'll be 100% wrong. The coin says its a Female. one other question, have you been feeding beef heart to this fish? Theirs a chance the caudal fin has grown long due to hormones. If you have, I’m going to change my SWAG to male.

[Rick_May]

This is what I mean about long fins due to hormones. These fish were fed BH I knew had been treated with hormones. Notice the abnormal length of the fins.