Hi there- I'm new to fishkeeping and have purchased some female platties and a smallish aquarium with a view to expanding with a large aquarium and more fish once I have the hang of it. Now, I'm pretty sure one of the fish is actually male as it has (what I think is) quite a pronounced gonopodium, so I've been worrying about ending up with fry. But then I've also realised it has a dark gravid spot and also looks sort of pregnant??
If somebody could advise me on whether my little pal is male or female I would be so appreciative....
I've tried to take decent pictures but they're quite fast...
Thank you
Male platy with gravid spot / female platy with gonopodium??
- plankton
- Super Mod
- Posts: 12303
- Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 17:02 pm
- Location: S. Derbyshire
- Has liked: 5088 times
- Been liked: 3435 times
Welcome to the forum.
I think it looks like a male "balloon" platy that's also full of food.
I think it looks like a male "balloon" platy that's also full of food.
- black ghost
- Posting Legend
- Posts: 3534
- Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 23:57 pm
- Has liked: 309 times
- Been liked: 1391 times
It’s a standard male Platy, not a balloon, that either used to be female or is just a late developing male. Actually changing sex is rare and you may even get a brood before the change is complete, but most of the ‘lump’ is food.
I don't keep fish, I keep water. Water keeps fish.
Amazing thanks for the quick replies!
So, as I see it what I ned to do is end up with two aquariums if I dont want to breed fish. So do you recommend waiting until she inevitably has fry at some point and then splitting up male and female into two tanks? Any advice on the best way to go about this process ? Obviously I want to cause minimal stress to the fish...
Thanks, I really appreciate the help
So, as I see it what I ned to do is end up with two aquariums if I dont want to breed fish. So do you recommend waiting until she inevitably has fry at some point and then splitting up male and female into two tanks? Any advice on the best way to go about this process ? Obviously I want to cause minimal stress to the fish...
Thanks, I really appreciate the help
- Gingerlove05
- Forum Guru
- Posts: 6873
- Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 20:21 pm
- Has liked: 5476 times
- Been liked: 2684 times
They can have upto 8 batches of fry from one insemination
Let the female give birth in the main tank and catch the fry after, less stress for her and they can have issues if moved when pregnant or about to give birth.
But once the fry are born they’re all female to start with, generally they dont start to show any dimorphism until around 3-4months old, and even then (as @black ghost said) some develop later than others. So if your wishing to separate male from female you need to keep an eye on the anal fin. When they start to develop you’ll notice that the females tend to retain a rounded fan shaped anal fin whereas the males anal fin starts to curve in toward the body and the outer/lower edge of the fin starts to look it has a thick outside edge as the gonopodium develops.
Let the female give birth in the main tank and catch the fry after, less stress for her and they can have issues if moved when pregnant or about to give birth.
But once the fry are born they’re all female to start with, generally they dont start to show any dimorphism until around 3-4months old, and even then (as @black ghost said) some develop later than others. So if your wishing to separate male from female you need to keep an eye on the anal fin. When they start to develop you’ll notice that the females tend to retain a rounded fan shaped anal fin whereas the males anal fin starts to curve in toward the body and the outer/lower edge of the fin starts to look it has a thick outside edge as the gonopodium develops.
To the tune of “the saints go marching in”:
Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful, they’re white Welsh and fluffy! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful!
Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful, they’re white Welsh and fluffy! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful!
aaaaaaaah haahhaah I can see this getting out of hand very quickly - thanks so much for the advice everyone! Much appreciated. i imagine I will end up posting on here quite a bit as my house slowly gets overrun with Platy fish....
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
- Martinspuddle
- Forum Jester & TOTM Winner
- Posts: 7147
- Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2019 18:07 pm
- Location: Sceapig
- Has liked: 4278 times
- Been liked: 3925 times
Greetings & welcome to
WARNING - DO NOT BREED, FEED OR PET THE PUDDLE!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Gingerlove05
- Forum Guru
- Posts: 6873
- Joined: Sun Jan 21, 2018 20:21 pm
- Has liked: 5476 times
- Been liked: 2684 times
It did go that way for us, we ended up with over 400 fry, because they can produce multiple (upto 8) batches from 1 insemination then they’re constantly pregnant for 8 months before they stop, then its sorting out the fry
To the tune of “the saints go marching in”:
Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful, they’re white Welsh and fluffy! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful!
Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful, they’re white Welsh and fluffy! Oh fluffy sheep are wonderful!