Red Honey Gouramis.

[WILDER]

I have four of them in a 12gal with 3 panda corys, 2 are very large and the dorsal fin goes to a point, so i think they are males is this correct.
Not sure about the other two yet, they seem to get along chase each other now and then, but through what i've been reading on here that quite normal behaviour.
How do you sex a female, i know there colour can be washed out is there anything else to go on.Thanks.

 

[sylvia]

Could you post pics?

Dorsal fin shape isn't particularly reliable for sexing honeys but it can work sometimes. Females are also wider when viwed from above and deeper-bodied. Males grow larger over-all and are more brightly colored. Wild-type males, when in breeding condition, develop a dark blue-black udnerside and brighter coloration. females remain a gold-brown color, typicaly with a horizontal stripe running along the lateral line. With mature fish like this, the difference is very obvious but with certain color morphs, the color differences aren't clear and you could have trouble distinguishing between the two. Also, most young fish 9including males) have the female coloration and later gradualy develop the more vibrant colors.

 

[WILDER]

Thanks for your reply from that information i definanely have two males as they show the blue colour on the
underside, pic coming shortly, as i don't no how to use the camera. thanks sylvia.

 

[WILDER]

Sylvia posted them in the members aquarium and fish pictures under my fish, as it was easier.

 

[sylvia]

I took a look at your pics but only one of your fish (the one in the top left of the first pic) is clear enought to be sexed deffinately - a male IMO. The rest are either too small so I can't realy see them or turned at a bad angle. Unfortunately, as none appear to be colored up in their breeding pattern and as red honeys the usual dimorphism doesn't apply so color isn't much of a guide for sexing them (though they all look quite bright so I wouldn't be particularly surprised if all were in fact male). If you'd be able to get larger pics of each one, turned to the side, I may have better luck.

 

[WILDER]

Thanks sylvia, the other one is actually the same as the one you have said is a male, at night they get a dark colour of black on the underside and tail.

 

[sylvia]

Is that the case for all of them? They do look male to me. It's just that I'm weary of saying that they are deffinately male when i can't see them all clearly .