Platy male or female?

[Kermit17]

Hi everyone

As said previously I am new to keeping tropical fish, I have two platy fish in my tank along with tetras, they all seem happy enough but I have a suspicion that I have one male and one female platy, i have attached two pics if someone could confirm the sex? it may be a silly question but will they breed? I would like to be prepared if that is the case,

Any advice appreciated

 

[AquaBarb]

Im no expect on liverbearers but going of the photos id say they are both females (rounded bellies) someone can hopefully confirm this for you tho.

If you did have both sexes then they will 100% breed and there is also the possibility if they have been with males in the store tanks the females are already carrying as they can hold male sperm upto 6 months apparently

 

[Kermit17]

Im no expect on liverbearers but going of the photos id say they are both females (rounded bellies) someone can hopefully confirm this for you tho.

If you did have both sexes then they will 100% breed and there is also the possibility if they have been with males in the store tanks the females are already carrying as they can hold male sperm upto 6 months apparently

Great thank you,

Thats good to know

 

[Essjay]

Looking at the first photo, one of them does look male to me. I've circled what looks like a gonopodium in green



It could be that it's a normal fan shaped fin which is just closed up. You can see the fish - does the anal fin look like this all the time, or does it open into a normal, fan shaped fin?
If it stays like that all the time, it's male. The anal fin of males is called a gonopodium and it's what he uses to impregnate females.




But as AquaBarb said, females which have been in a tank with a male are likely to be carrying sperm and can use it to fertilise eggs and have fry every month for a good few months to come.

 

[Back in the fold]

Who knows these days ?

 

[Kermit17]

Looking at the first photo, one of them does look male to me. I've circled what looks like a gonopodium in green
View attachment 158448


It could be that it's a normal fan shaped fin which is just closed up. You can see the fish - does the anal fin look like this all the time, or does it open into a normal, fan shaped fin?
If it stays like that all the time, it's male. The anal fin of males is called a gonopodium and it's what he uses to impregnate females.




But as AquaBarb said, females which have been in a tank with a male are likely to be carrying sperm and can use it to fertilise eggs and have fry every month for a good few months to come.

Thanks for your reply,

I'm pretty sure I've one male and one female, really hard to get a good pic of them, I've attached another couple of pics anyway,

Do you suggest that I get another female? He's not bothering her at the moment but I'm concerned that if he does she will become stressed

Thanks

 

[Naughts]

Hi everyone

As said previously I am new to keeping tropical fish, I have two platy fish in my tank along with tetras, they all seem happy enough but I have a suspicion that I have one male and one female platy, i have attached two pics if someone could confirm the sex? it may be a silly question but will they breed? I would like to be prepared if that is the case,

Any advice appreciated

First pic male, second pic gravid female.

 

[Kermit17]

First pic male, second pic gravid female.

OK thank you,

I've ordered a breeding tank just incase but I have a feeling you may be right,

Wish me luck lol

 

[Colin_T]

Who knows these days ?

transgender fish

 

[Back in the fold]

transgender fish

Actually, yes ! If I am right, I have heard of one fish changing into another sex in the absence of another. Some annual Killifish and Swordtails if I'm not mistaken. So perhaps my flippant comment was not entirely in jest.

 

[Colin_T]

Yes, plenty of fish change sex. Female swordtails can become males if there are no males present. All barramundi are male until they get to about 18 inches long, then turn into females. Wrasses are females until one takes over a territory and turns into a male. Anemonefish (clownfish) are neither male nor female until they set up a territory. The dominant fish becomes female, the next dominant becomes her male partner, all the remaining fish stay juvenile and don't become male or female.

Fish can even be gay with male fish preferring to be with and breed with another male, and same deal with females, although this is uncommon.

It's just genetics at play

 

[itiwhetu]

Who knows these days ?

Could be trans

 

[itiwhetu]

Yes, plenty of fish change sex. Female swordtails can become males if there are no males present. All barramundi are male until they get to about 18 inches long, then turn into females. Wrasses are females until one takes over a territory and turns into a male. Anemonefish (clownfish) are neither male nor female until they set up a territory. The dominant fish becomes female, the next dominant becomes her male partner, all the remaining fish stay juvenile and don't become male or female.

Fish can even be gay with male fish preferring to be with and breed with another male, and same deal with females, although this is uncommon.

It's just genetics at play

They are all smarter than us, they can do it without surgery and a huge medical bill.

 

[Colin_T]

They are all smarter than us, they can do it without surgery and a huge medical bill.

Honey, I feel like being a woman tonight, mind if we swap sexes