sexing 3-spots

[Briarmoor]

How old/big do 3-spots have to be to accurately sex them? The opaline I thought was a girl is getting a bit of a pointy dorsal fin although the fin is not long like a boy's, still has a girlish body too. When will I know? This fish is about 2.5-3 inches long I guess and I have no idea of its age. How long should it take for it to catch up with the Gold female that is 4 inches long?

 

[sylvia]

As gouramies get older, like most fish, their growth slows down. This means that your opaline will hopefuly catch up with the other three-spot before she's fully grown. Unfortunately, predicting exactly how long this will take is impossible. A lot of factors are involved but I can say that, if you want the opaline to grow quicker, you should change her water more often, increase the temp. slightly (but remember that a very high temp. will cause problems as the faster metabolism that results is not natural for the fish and may cause stress and susceptibility to disease) and feed lots of highly nutricious foods (such as live bloodworms), in small portions, but often. Lastly, but even more importantly, it's essential that she's healthy and stress-free or she won't put energy into growth - preffering to use it on fighting disease to keep her in good health. As for sexing them, you should be able to do so reliably once they are 2.5-3". Under that and you can't be 100% sure that you don't just have a slow-to-mature male. Still, it's usualy easy to tell from early on and the dorsal difference is huge so you should know for certain in time.

 

[Briarmoor]

As for sexing them, you should be able to do so reliably once they are 2.5-3". Under that and you can't be 100% sure that you don't just have a slow-to-mature male. Still, it's usualy easy to tell from early on and the dorsal difference is huge so you should know for certain in time.

[snapback]916328[/snapback]​

The LFS guy was for sure she was a girl as was I when we picked her. Just now her dorsal fin is pointier but not real long. Can this still be a female just with a bit pointier dorsal? The body looks female to me. I'll try to get a pic.

She makes her own stress by worrying about what the giants are doing all the time. She chases them, but they refuse to leave her territory, so maybe they don't care that much. Sometimes she doesn't seem to mind them. They are coloring up as nicely as female giants ever do and their tail fins are growing back where the opal was nippy when they first arrived. So evidently not much damage is coming of the chasing as it was before. But they chase each other some, so I should have just left one giant and not worried that it needed company.

The one I think is young, it has a "baby" head still, is so friendly. She eats like a bottomless pit. To be at the low end of the pecking order doesn't affect her appetite. She loves food of any kind. The second I walk in the room, she races over to the side of the tank hoping I will feed her. She seems to like me to talk to her, even if I am not reaching for food (they eat twice daily only) she will hang out as long as I am there.

 

[sylvia]

Yep, it could be female even with a slightly more pointed dorsal. Males have a very obvious difference realy - much more pointed and almost twice the length. I doubt there's any need to worry. A pic would still be useful (if only because I love seeing people's fish ).

 

[Briarmoor]

Yep, it could be female even with a slightly more pointed dorsal. Males have a very obvious difference realy - much more pointed and almost twice the length. I doubt there's any need to worry. A pic would still be useful (if only because I love seeing people's fish ).

[snapback]923585[/snapback]​

Okay, I will try to take some. My digital camera is old and not too user friendly. Takes me forever. But Pauline/Pauli <g> looks nice and is growing. Would like to hear your take on her gender, but maybe she is still a she. Just a butch one with a pointy dorsal.

The giants are not much to look at for brilliance of color, but they grow on me. It is hilarious to see the older and bigger one turn around and face off the opaline if she gets tired of being chased. The opaline stops in her tracks. The giant waves her thread fins all over which cracks me up. You can almost hear her saying in fish language, I have had enough, you opaline bully! Now back off! And Pauline does just that. Why they insist on hanging in the opaline's territory is beyond me when there is plenty of tank for all.

Okay, so I've humanized them, but their body language really says about that.

 

[sylvia]

Lol! I love that description - if you do get some pics, get a few of the giants as well - I'd love to see the little characters