Full Version: Trouble Sexing
I am having trouble sexing my fish. I have one ryukin who has developed breeding stars so I know it's a male. This ryukin, however, does not chase the other fish at all. The other fish have pimple things on the pectoral fins but nowhere else. I tried the anal opening method but the spots on the leading pectoral fin is throwing me off. One of my ranchu has the white pimple sticking outward anal opening which is suggesting its a female, but, again, the pectoral fins are confusing me. I have trying to breed for a long time with no success what so ever. I am afraid I may have all males in my tank. Can anyone shed some light?
Sometimes it can be a real pain to figure out the sexing on the goldfish. One method could be more reliable than the other. I'd definetely go with the breeding tubercles first, if that is what you can detect on your fish, on either the gills or the first row of the pectoral fins.
I know that professional breeders have the most reliable success with feeling the thickness of the first ray of the anal fin. In females, that first ray is thicker than the rest of the anal fin, while in a male there isn't any noticeable difference between the first ray of the anal fin and the anal fin itself. The anal fin in general should be thicker in a female than a male.
Give it a try, and see if that sheds some light.
I know that professional breeders have the most reliable success with feeling the thickness of the first ray of the anal fin. In females, that first ray is thicker than the rest of the anal fin, while in a male there isn't any noticeable difference between the first ray of the anal fin and the anal fin itself. The anal fin in general should be thicker in a female than a male.
Give it a try, and see if that sheds some light.
Hey there!
Here is a link to my Tip of the Month from a while back
Male or Female
My suggestion is that if your ranchu has roughened pectoral fins even without the operculum tubercles then it is still probably a male, females don't tend to develop the rough points on their pecs. -if these fish are still young, give them time, perhaps next breeding season they'll develop their op tubers. When fish are still young (under 3 years) it's really difficult to tell, and during winter (off breeding season) the young males will even lose their breeding stars, its only when they get older the stars tend to become a more permanent fixture.
The only real way to tell if a fish is female tho is to actually see it drop eggs.
Here is a link to my Tip of the Month from a while back
Male or Female
My suggestion is that if your ranchu has roughened pectoral fins even without the operculum tubercles then it is still probably a male, females don't tend to develop the rough points on their pecs.
-if these fish are still young, give them time, perhaps next breeding season they'll develop their op tubers. When fish are still young (under 3 years) it's really difficult to tell, and during winter (off breeding season) the young males will even lose their breeding stars, its only when they get older the stars tend to become a more permanent fixture. The only real way to tell if a fish is female tho is to actually see it drop eggs.
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