Here (S)He Is....

[Biulu]

As I promised in another thread here are pictures from my 'killer' betta. Hope you guys can help me determine whether it is a female veiltail or a plakat male. I am very confused as it made a bubblenest lately but on the other hand it got stress stripes when I put it in a recipient to be able to take these pictures and I thought only females get stress stripes....

Anyway, all help is greatly appreciated. Here are the pics:

 

[Baccus]

I would have thought it was a female, but then I have had a female apparently have a sudden sex change of late. For well over 12 months it behaved like a female even lived happily with another supposid female, but last month it suddenly decided to build a bubble nest and is a lot more aggro towards other fish and if it see's another figther (who may or may not be another male) he/ she flares and gets really cranky. Also the other "female' I got at the same time is nice and calm towards my other fish but if it sees the male/female/ mystery fighter it starts going crazy and patrolling the end of the tank closest to the other fighter.

 

[seizethecupcake]

My red/blue CT male has shown stress stripes before, so I believe that's definitely possible. Male or female, he/she is lovely.

 

[betta fish]

It's a plakat male and yes males can also get stress stripes if they are stressed enough, what has he been doing to be labelled a killer?

 

[Biulu]

Thanks for that! Can you tell me why it is a pk male and not a female? I am still unsure on how to tell them apart.

He was in my sorority tank for a few weeks; all well until he suddenly attacked the females... I had bought him as a she in a lfs.

 

[betta fish]

Plakat males are often mistaken for females when young due to the shorter finnage, going by your fish the long anal fin with the sharp point and the long ventral fins and absence of an egg spot are all indications of it being male, plus the building of the bubblenest and the harassing of females which dominant females can do but adding to all the other factors I would say male

 

[Biulu]

Ok, thanks! I'll pay more attention next time...

 

[Paradise3]

Ok, thanks! I'll pay more attention next time...

I wouldn't just go on the longer anal fin... My CT female had a really long and pointy anal fin. Also, I'm sure I can see an egg spot on that fish... It's not the most visible but I'm sure I can see it... Can you get a picture from behind the fish?
It actually looks like an older female rather than a Plakat male...
This is my CT Female.

And this is my PK male.

See the difference?

 

[LucyB]

what has he been doing to be labelled a killer?

Take a guess

 

[HannahBear77]

that kinda looks like a female because i have a PK male and your fishes finst arent as full as his
the fin on top dorsal fin, isnt as full and round and doesnt go all the way back to the tail like males do, you can tell the difference in paradise pictures

 

[lilfishie]

Looks male to me does it flare alot?

 

[Paradise3]

Can you get it to flare and get a picture please?

 

[Biulu]

Yes, it does. It regularly harrasses the male 'on the other side'. I have been trying if I can see the gills but it always swims in the opposite direction (back towards me) if I am looking. I will try again today.

 

[lilfishie]

Certainly sounds male happening far too much these days

 

[Paradise3]

It does sound male but that female I showed was exactly like that... Hated the other females but also hated the male, it's a wonder I got them to breed.