Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Identification => Topic started by: PJJ on March 10, 2014, 07:00:03 PM

Title: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: PJJ on March 10, 2014, 07:00:03 PM
I am a little confused.
I recently bought two paradise fish, each about 3 or 4cm long, that I thought were a female and a male. The female was duller in colour, had less prominant fins, had a more rounded belly and was submissive to aggression from the male. In the last month however s/he has become just as colourful as the male (which is definitely male) and it's dorsal fin has become more pointed. S/he is also occasionally aggressive towards other fish.
Is she indeed a she or have I bought a male by mistake?
I have included a pic
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: Sue on March 10, 2014, 07:18:45 PM
Hi PJJ, welcome  :wave:

It is possible that you have 2 males. They were quite small when you got them and this one could just be taking a bit longer to develop the male finnage. I would keep a close eye on them till you know for certain - if the second one develops male fins. You might want to invest in some way of separating them if they start fighting, a fry net will be OK till you can rehome one of them.

Being aggressive towards other fish is, unfortunately, one of the problems with paradise fish.
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: ColinB on March 10, 2014, 08:30:48 PM
Hello and Welcome, PJJ  :wave:

Perhaps you could pop over to the New Members' Area here (http://www.thinkfish.co.uk/forum/index.php/board,1.0.html) and introduce yourself and your piscine pals. The more photos the better as far as we're concerned - of the fish, that is, not you! ;)
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: Resa on March 11, 2014, 01:18:04 AM
your piscine pals.

How very rude :o
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: ColinB on March 11, 2014, 08:11:12 AM
your piscine pals.

How very rude :o

No, no, no..... silly girl!!! ;) Not piscine à la Francais, piscine in Latin. Sheesh.  :raspberries (I think I'm the first to use this smiley). :))
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: PJJ on March 11, 2014, 09:34:49 AM
 :fishy1:Another, better piscine pic :fishy1:...
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: Sue on March 11, 2014, 12:01:38 PM
It is very hard to be sure. It is brightly coloured and has pointy fine = male. It does not have tail fin extensions and it is plump (if not fat) = female.

However, in the second photo the tail fin looks a bit ragged at the edge, and it does look a bit fat. I'm wondering if it is in fact a male, but one that is not in the best of health.
If you look down on this fish from on top, do the scales on the 'fat' area lie flat against its body or do they stick out a bit like a pine cone?
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: PJJ on March 11, 2014, 03:03:46 PM
Hi sue,
re scales it's very hard to see in such detal
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: Sue on March 11, 2014, 03:16:27 PM
It may be just the photo, some of mine make the fish look very peculiar, but the paradise fish does look an odd shape. It appears to be bulging in just the front of its body, which doesn't look natural. You can see the actual fish - is it very bulgy under the gill area?

I'm a bit concerned that it might well be a male that has health problems - the ragged end to the tail fin, the bulgy area under the gills
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: PJJ on March 12, 2014, 08:09:14 PM
That's interesting. I hadn't considered that. I bought it as a female because of the rounded belly.
It is eating well and behaving  normally.
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: Sue on March 13, 2014, 08:25:47 AM
If it eating, that is a good sign. Sick fish often go off their food.

I can only suggest keeping a close eye on the fish for now. They seem to be similar to siamese fighting fish (both anabatids, males don't get on, can be aggressive to other fish in the tank etc) and sff females can often be as aggressive as males. It is possible that you do have a female, just one at the more aggressive end of the spectrum.
Title: Re: Sexing Paradise Fish
Post by: PJJ on March 13, 2014, 09:46:40 AM
Yes, I'll do that.
Thanks for your advice.
They are fascinating characters!
They were housed with 3 Florida flagfish: a male and 2 female.
I've now taken that male out and the aggression levels have died down considerably.
Amazing how one fish can so effect the politics of the tank!