Sex identification of Discus

[Som]

One of the biggest question asked frequently of the discus breeder is “how do I determine the sex of my fish?” There are very few easy identifiers in this process. It’s very funny that sometimes even I don’t understand which sex of the discus is.
In juvenile fish, determining sex is almost impossible. It is only when they begin to pair off that an opportunity arises to help in the determination of sex. Juvenile fish, both male and female, have a rounded dorsal fin, and it is not until they begin to mature that a difference can be detected.
The male discus will have thicker lips to aid him in his fight to protect the female, and male discus can become more aggressive. The male will be larger than the female, his forehead is thicker, and we have observed that if the discus are a bit shy, the male will have a tendency to stay between the female and the observer.
Moreover, we can distinguish the male and female discus by **** and the spine of the anal fin. Closer is female. (Near the anal fin). The **** of the female is boarder for the tube to deliver eggs.
Check the colour and pattern of your discus fish, compare the discus to one another in the tank. Some fish will have more intense colour and some discus will have more pattern. Male discus fish tend to have less intense colour but have more pattern while the female tends to be more colorful but with lesser pattern.
Sexing Discus is the most difficult. The easiest way to do so is to raise a group of at least six to eight discus, so that they can form community and allow them to pair off when ready. It is a beautiful sight to see this happen, and makes the hobby well worthwhile.
So what do u all think....

[Som]

Please critisize if I am wrong.I feel I have a lot to learn

[Second Hand Pat]

Sounds like it came from here...

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Determine-The-Sex-of-Discus-Fish&id=54940

Personally until you can see the breeding tubes during a spawning event it is pretty much anyone's guess.

[roydooms]

Sounds like it came from here...

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Determine-The-Sex-of-Discus-Fish&id=54940

Personally until you can see the breeding tubes during a spawning event it is pretty much anyone's guess.

I have that article bookmarked. And also thought I've read this before. Word by word. Lol.

Although, what's in this article it's not always the case. Best is to wait for them to spawn and observe which one is which.

[tbird22771]

Does anybody have any opinions about the geometry method described here.

http://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~davidr/discus/articles/sexingdiscus.html

[Discus Origins]

If there is one thing I've learned after all these years is you can guess and be right some of the time, but most of the time the fish have fun proving you wrong ;)

[roydooms]

You have a 50% chance of getting it right, right? :D

[Cameronv]

I've tired the geometry method.. Still extremely hard to tell male from female, in my experience it hasn't worked too well. The only reliable method of sexing is pure experience in discus keeping. Time, patience, and more time. Watching discus behavior and being able to recognize which behavior means what, along with using size of tubes, maybe geometry of fins, and many other factors.

You gotta have a lot of experience with a specific strain to be able to accurately differentiate them. For example Kenny C has worked with forrest for some time with their specific strain of penang eruptions and have recognized certain characteristics that tell male from female. They use the orange color to tell a female from male. He sent me a unconfirmed pair he picked and now they're confirmed :) I've also heard of him doing it successfully for many other people. It is still not 100% nor ever will be with this or any method.

[Mauricio]

The best method I use is the geometry of the reproductive organ, who along with the other indicators mentioned by you provides a good margin of success.

[Som]

yep it was from a site just want to learn and never want anybodies observation or writting to be proved mine.

[Ukmasterzzzz]

I've tired the geometry method.. Still extremely hard to tell male from female, in my experience it hasn't worked too well. The only reliable method of sexing is pure experience in discus keeping. Time, patience, and more time. Watching discus behavior and being able to recognize which behavior means what, along with using size of tubes, maybe geometry of fins, and many other factors.

You gotta have a lot of experience with a specific strain to be able to accurately differentiate them. For example Kenny C has worked with forrest for some time with their specific strain of penang eruptions and have recognized certain characteristics that tell male from female. They use the orange color to tell a female from male. He sent me a unconfirmed pair he picked and now they're confirmed :) I've also heard of him doing it successfully for many other people. It is still not 100% nor ever will be with this or any method.

Hi all my first post on here im steve i live in northan thailand
Ive a pair of red velvets from malasia i got from a farm in bkk
They told me most of the velvets are females and i said i wanted both male and female in velvet
There reply was that the female will lay in her cycle but the male my not cover them so he asked me to test them But to be honest i cant tell any details at all to which fish is which
Looking at the fish they difrent marking and ican say this no1 and no 2
But because the difrence in chat with my friend ive not been alble to see any details of male or female
Ive had them tanked now 12 days ile just have to wait to see if any spawning takes place
Im concerned they might got it wrong and that they are two females

[timmy82]

Depending on the strain age and size there are many factors sometimes you get it right, sometimes you think your right and then their are eggs and the next day more eggs! Behavioral ways if you really watch them for some time, some times you can tell what their thing is in a group of same strain siblings and then you can just belt your head into a brick wall.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Recently I have noticed that I have roughly 7 of my 20, now just over 1 year old discus with the "runner" off the dorsal fin. Are they males? Not sure until we see some activity.

Like Mark said though "If there is one thing I've learned after all these years is you can guess and be right some of the time, but most of the time the fish have fun proving you wrong."

[Ukmasterzzzz]

Recently I have noticed that I have roughly 7 of my 20, now just over 1 year old discus with the "runner" off the dorsal fin. Are they males? Not sure until we see some activity.

Like Mark said though "If there is one thing I've learned after all these years is you can guess and be right some of the time, but most of the time the fish have fun proving you wrong."

Ive a lepord snakeskin paired up with a blue terqu. The snakeskin is a lot bigger and im takeing it hes the maleas when they layed ide the tank coverin while poly boards. So i did not see fromheadto the end is tail hes near 7 inch and the blues only 5 inch or just over soi think im right but its never easy untill you see the female drop an egg

Here in thailand there so many discu farms running 1000 tanks if any ones visiting here most farms will be happy to show you around

[Elliots]

UKmaster, the person who said most of the velvets are female was probably wrong. Juvenile Discus all look female to me, no elongated distal rays (Spines?) on dorsal and anal fins. That is a way to sex other ciclids but does not always work on Discus. If the rays are extended it is a male but if the rays are not extended that does not make it female, it could be a male.

[boscobear]

I thought Andrew Soh, in his book "The Naked Truth", has an excellent way of sexing Discus. This method can be true even before puberty. In the book, "The Naked Truth" Mr. Soh also discusses many other ways people have used to sex Discus. His method is a cumulation of over 33 years of Discus experience, and he claims 99% accuracy. I have used his method with the few Discus that have I have owned, and a few from our fish hobbist friends , and it was true. I also use his method with Angelfish, which are much easier, and the same method is true to sex.
Both of Andrew Soh's books contain a wealth of information that every Discus enthusiasts should have in their collection.

[Allwin]

So even Andrew soh can go wrong in guessing 1% of his fishes :confused:


I thought Andrew Soh, in his book "The Naked Truth", has an excellent way of sexing Discus. This method can be true even before puberty. In the book, "The Naked Truth" Mr. Soh also discusses many other ways people have used to sex Discus. His method is a cumulation of over 33 years of Discus experience, and he claims 99% accuracy. I have used his method with the few Discus that have I have owned, and a few from our fish hobbist friends , and it was true. I also use his method with Angelfish, which are much easier, and the same method is true to sex.
Both of Andrew Soh's books contain a wealth of information that every Discus enthusiasts should have in their collection.

[boscobear]

As Andrew Soh explains, " The 1% is not an excuse for imperfection of method. Rather, the possibility of hermaphrodites cannot be ignored. His words !

[WaterDog]

Place a small mirror in the tank so that it rests up against the inside of glass vertically. The ones that keep looking at their reflection are females...

[Kokako]

I thought Andrew Soh, in his book "The Naked Truth", has an excellent way of sexing Discus. This method can be true even before puberty. In the book, "The Naked Truth" Mr. Soh also discusses many other ways people have used to sex Discus. His method is a cumulation of over 33 years of Discus experience, and he claims 99% accuracy. I have used his method with the few Discus that have I have owned, and a few from our fish hobbist friends , and it was true. I also use his method with Angelfish, which are much easier, and the same method is true to sex.
Both of Andrew Soh's books contain a wealth of information that every Discus enthusiasts should have in their collection.

Could you please elaborate and give a brief summary of Andrews method of sexing? Or is it to in depth and complex?, Thanks so much. Im on very limited finances (student) so trying to give myself the best chance of getting a pair in NZ. Getting anything from overseas as an individual through customs/import regulation is a NIGHTMARE under NZ rules or I would just get a proven pair. I just don't have the capital to grow out 8-12 and hope I get a pair here.