Having A Hard Time Determining Gender

[slimeneo]

Hey, I have 5 red platys and I know for sure the genders of 3 of them, but I'm not sure about this one.... I couldn't really get a good shot of the other fish, but the anal fin is pretty much the same for both. It's not really a fan shape like the other females have, but it's not really a stick either... here's a picture:

Thanks!

 

[crazyforcordoras]

It looks ripped, can you get a shot of it being open?

 

[KrystaK]

I'm not sure if platy's do this but I know Molly's do it.
If they are kept in a single gender environment for long enough a few will change gender, perhaps thats what these two are doing.

Though to me the picture looks like a female.

 

[FishBlast]

That could be a female, but can't tell for sure since it's not transparent so I can see its belly shape.
Also, the underside of the fish looks suspiciously male, so it might be a male that didn't mature yet.
How big is the fish? If it's over 3 cm in length and has never been pregnant, it's most probably a male in disguise.

 

[slimeneo]

Here's a better picture, I think

I'd say.... a little over an inch. maybe an inch and a half

 

[FishBlast]

Here's a better picture, I think

I'd say.... a little over an inch. maybe an inch and a half

Definitely looks like an immature male due to that pointy fin. It didn't thicken yet, but it will show its true gender by now. At one inch they should already be pregnant anyway if they're with males. If not, they might start developing a gonopodium. Happens especially as mentioned above, in female-only communities.

 

[slimeneo]

oh That means I have more males than females

I know for sure that 1 is male, and 2 are females. so I'm not sure if they are changing genders

 

[FishBlast]

oh That means I have more males than females

Sausage fest is imminent... LOL

In my case I seem to have more females than males, unless one female decides to turn male or if the fry turn out to be more males than I think I have. I have 1 confirmed swordie male, 1 suspect swordie male (fry), 2 confirmed females, 1 suspected female fry and 1 unknown gender fry (but could be female too by its behavior)

 

[slimeneo]

haha, well see that would explain why one of the females keeps hiding maybe I need to get more females...

 

[FishBlast]

haha, well see that would explain why one of the females keeps hiding maybe I need to get more females...

Fish usually hide when sick though (if they're big). My swordie females constantly bicker with each other, neither hides. The male... is just there looking pretty. He's caught in between in a huge high-school drama, so he just gave up trying to mate with either of them and just hangs out with the two females and his daughter. (the funny part was that at one point he was courting his daughter... the 1.5 cm fish)

 

[slimeneo]

Oh no, really? the female hides, I think, because the male chases her all the time

I've never actually seen any of them mate... not that I would want to though

 

[FishBlast]

Oh no, really? the female hides, I think, because the male chases her all the time

I've never actually seen any of them mate... not that I would want to though

My swordie male used to chase my red female all the time for 3 months. And all she did was nip him and chase him away, to the point that the little guy started keeping a distance whenever she turned her face towards him too fast.
Saw them mate a few times, the male ended up getting dragged over the sand by the female that ran away from him (or rather with him LOL!).

 

[OldMan47]

I just did a quick read through of this thread so it is time to correct some misconceptions. Fish, at least common livebearers like platies, do not change gender ever. The fish that we buy in a typical shop have been pushed for maximum growth so they are often not mature enough to sex when we buy them. That can lead to the misinterpretation that a female is becoming a male. All immature platies look like females so seeing one gradually take on the male characteristics can lead to that misinterpretation.
The fish in the picture does look like a late developing male.

A simple 2 males and 2 females is fine unless you happen to have an especially aggressive male. In that case the safer 1 male to 2 females would be better, a lot depends on the individual fish involved.

 

[FishBlast]

I just did a quick read through of this thread so it is time to correct some misconceptions. Fish, at least common livebearers like platies, do not change gender ever. The fish that we buy in a typical shop have been pushed for maximum growth so they are often not mature enough to sex when we buy them. That can lead to the misinterpretation that a female is becoming a male. All immature platies look like females so seeing one gradually take on the male characteristics can lead to that misinterpretation.
The fish in the picture does look like a late developing male.

A simple 2 males and 2 females is fine unless you happen to have an especially aggressive male. In that case the safer 1 male to 2 females would be better, a lot depends on the individual fish involved.

Only one little problem:
Stuff like this does happen, and I've had it happen to an orange swordtail female of mine as well, had fry from her previously too.
But I didn't have any way to test if they can reproduce, while others claimed that if they have an all female tank that have previously given birth (all of them), one will become a male and all fry it fathers will be female. But I'm not sure about this one, like I said, never had the chance to experiment with that.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I just did a quick read through of this thread so it is time to correct some misconceptions. Fish, at least common livebearers like platies, do not change gender ever. The fish that we buy in a typical shop have been pushed for maximum growth so they are often not mature enough to sex when we buy them. That can lead to the misinterpretation that a female is becoming a male. All immature platies look like females so seeing one gradually take on the male characteristics can lead to that misinterpretation.
The fish in the picture does look like a late developing male.

A simple 2 males and 2 females is fine unless you happen to have an especially aggressive male. In that case the safer 1 male to 2 females would be better, a lot depends on the individual fish involved.

You've always got something great and useful to say! Enjoy your posts!

I currently have the same thing with one of my guppies... all the rest of the batch are clearly male or female and this one is similar to your platy and not showing clearly either way... but I believe it to be a male, same as your platy.