How to distinguish a female goldfish from a male? How to distinguish a male from a female goldfish Sexual differences in goldfish.

Goldfish are recognized as traditional inhabitants of aquariums. Their aesthetics do not leave many aquarists indifferent. However, their maintenance and further breeding poses some difficulties - from selecting individuals to determining their sex.

A little history

Goldfish belongs to an artificially bred species, is a freshwater fish, belongs to the carp family, the class of ray-finned fish. IN historical documents The first mentions of goldfish are found in the 6th century BC. uh., so, China is considered the birthplace of fish. The most noble families preferred to have the image of these fish on their coats of arms.

Some breeds were elevated to the rank of sacred. The history of breeding Bet breeds began with the Ming Dynasty.

Then breeding began in Korea in 1500, and in 1502 goldfish conquered Japan, then Indonesia. A in the 17th century it was brought to Europe and settled in the royal pools as an overseas miracle.

Changing its original appearance in the process of breeding new breeds, the goldfish did not lose the habits of the crucian carp. She loves to dig, is unpretentious in food, prefers space in the aquarium and clean water.

On at the moment More than 300 species of goldfish are known, so variations in the color and structure of the body, tail and fins are very diverse. Goldfish can have either a regular tail, similar to the tail of the ancestor of this breed - the crucian carp, or a double one. The most widely known are veiltails, oranda and lionheads. So, the choice of an inhabitant for an aquarium depends on the preferences of the aquarist.

After you have decided on the choice of fish breed, you should decide for what purpose the individual is purchased - for keeping or for keeping with further breeding.

The second option is more complicated, since you must purchase fish of a certain sex. Distinguishing a female goldfish from a male is quite a difficult task, but if you take into account the recommendations, it is completely solvable.

If you purchase fish before they reach puberty, it is recommended to purchase at least 6 fish of the same species. Once you reach maturity, you will have the best chance of owning fish of both sexes.

How to determine gender?

At approximately 12 months of age, the fish reaches puberty. Before reaching this age, it is not possible to distinguish between sexes. By the beginning of the spawning period, boys and girls begin to show distinctive characteristics.

It should be noted that there are varieties of fish in which females reach puberty after reaching 3 years of age. Therefore, the puberty factor depends on the variety of the individual you choose.

Although males during this period show maximum activity by chasing females, while pressing them against the walls of the aquarium or decorative objects, a pair of boys can also behave in a similar way in the absence of females.

You can recognize males by the changes that occur at this time, the appearance of growths. Growths appear in the gill area and pectoral fins, have a white color. On the pectoral fins you can see small notches, which are called “saw” due to their similarity with the instrument of the same name. A complication is the fact that the appearance of a growth may not occur in some males, while it may appear in females.

During the spawning period, the abdomen of females takes on a rounded, slightly asymmetrical appearance. At the same time, the body of males looks more elastic and thin.

If you are the happy owner of the Ryukin breed, then determining this moment will become an impossible task, due to the fact that all individuals of this breed have a rounded body, slightly swollen in appearance.

There are factors that delay the process of puberty: poor diet and aquarium volume. So, food should be enriched with protein, and aquarium volumes are calculated based on the ratio of liters per fish.

Main features

Let's look at the main signs of how to distinguish a boy from a girl, but these recommendations are applicable only to healthy individuals. An unhealthy male will not be able to be active in courting the female, and an undernourished female will not have roundness; a swollen belly can, in turn, be a sign of the presence of a disease.

Let us list the main differences between males and females.

Body. The female's body has a rounded shape and a slightly bloated appearance. In the male it is elongated.
Notches. The pectoral fins of males have sawtooth serrations.
Fins. Females are characterized by shorter, rounded fins on the abdomen.
White growths in males in the area from the gills to the pectoral fins.
Behavior. Females are characterized by passivity.
Anal hole. In females it protrudes, while outwardly it resembles a peculiar growth on the abdomen near the tail part of the fish. In males it is retracted.
The anal fin of females is compacted, unlike males. By palpating the female and male, this feature can be identified.
Male abdomen In the most common cases, it has a kind of comb that extends through the belly to the anus.
Color. Girls have a brighter color, but this sign is not mandatory. There are breeds of goldfish, the males of which are more bright.

During the spawning period, a female goldfish can lay up to 3 thousand eggs. The duration of spawning is about 6 hours in the first half of the day.

Under home conditions, spawning can occur year-round, but in this case the breeding fish will become depleted. Therefore, at the end of spawning, it is recommended to provide the fish with rest by moving them into separate aquariums.

So, based on the above distinctive features you can distinguish a male from a female and start breeding goldfish. To breed goldfish you will need 2-3 males, a female, a spawning aquarium with a volume of about 30 liters, aquarium plants, good system filtration and aeration, as well as a thermostat. Further breeding also presents difficulties, but it should be remembered that the key to healthy offspring is good food and fresh water.

You can learn more about the differences between female and male goldfish in the video presented.

Easy to care for. In fact, they are very demanding, and when breeding them there are many nuances. But, having learned to overcome difficulties, most owners think about breeding their aquarium pets. If many species aquarium fish It is quite simple to distinguish a female from a male (by color, size), but with goldfish the situation is different.

You will need

Aquarium, goldfish, magnifying glass

Instructions

Goldfish become sexually mature by two years, although this depends on the completeness and variety of the diet and the conditions in which they are kept. In this case, the volume of the aquarium plays a very important role - at least 40 liters are needed for one goldfish, and the entire “glass house” must be at least 100 liters. In small volumes, the fish develop poorly, become “dragged” and incapable of spawning.
IN ideal conditions There were cases of earlier puberty - by one and a half years, while the diet was rich in proteins. Consequently, before this age, even an experienced owner will not be able to distinguish between a male and a female.

When the fish become ready to reproduce, the first differences between the male and the female begin to appear. The female’s body takes on a rounded shape and a small spherical belly appears, while the male is leaner.

The male's front paired fins have characteristic serrations that resemble small saw teeth in appearance. This is the main sign by which one can distinguish a male from a female even outside the mating season.

With the beginning of spring in sexually mature gold The courtship period begins for the fish. At this time, the male differs noticeably from the female in his behavior. He behaves very actively, vigorously courting his girlfriend, chasing her throughout the aquarium.

Another main sign of a male is the appearance of white tubercles on the head and gill covers during the spawning period. Sometimes these tubercles can be on the front fins.
The same symptoms can occur with a serious disease of aquarium fish - ichthyophthyriosis. Tubercles appear on the fins of fish, similar to semolina. It is important not to confuse the male's spawning signs with this disease.

Goldfish are a subspecies of silver crucian carp. Despite the name, these fish may differ in color. Red, white, and black individuals are often found in nature. In addition, goldfish are able to change color throughout their lives. Basically, the change occurs in the first year of life, but in some cases, fish can change the shade of their scales even after puberty. On average, goldfish are ready to spawn by 7-8 months, but it is better if they begin to reproduce after they are 2-4 years old. During this period, they reach maximum brightness of the color of their scales and fins. Until this time, it is extremely problematic to understand exactly what gender your goldfish is.

You will need

In order to understand what gender your pet is, you need to take a close look at it during the spawning period. If two fish of different sexes live in an aquarium, then you can immediately determine which of them is male and which is female.

Instructions

First, compare the sizes fish. Males are usually slightly smaller than females. Moreover, the latter have a more rounded belly.
Also, males have a slightly convex anal opening, while females, on the contrary, have a depression in this area.

A few days before spawning, white specks appear on the gills of males. On the first rays of the pectoral fins you can also notice small light-colored serrations, which some breeders call “saw.”

During the spawning period, males become extremely active. They begin to chase the females around the aquarium, and also “molest” the brides, pinning them in a corner.

Please note

If you want to breed goldfish, then do not forget that they need quite a lot of space for normal coexistence. Therefore, before you buy a partner for your pet, take care of expanding its living space.

Useful advice

If a goldfish lives alone, it will be quite difficult to determine its gender. True, sometimes males ready for spawning may develop sexual characteristics regardless of whether there is a partner nearby. In this case, many novice breeders get scared and think that the fish is sick with something.

Please note

If the spawning is successful, then you need to remember that goldfish can eat their offspring. Therefore, immediately after spawning, they must be transplanted into a fish tank. It should be equipped with a filter and air supply, and differ from an aquarium only in its smaller volume.

Useful advice

It is best to keep goldfish at temperatures no higher than 24 degrees.

There is a false belief that goldfish primitive in care. In fact, they are very demanding, and when breeding them, a lot of nuances appear. But, having learned to overcome difficulties, many owners are thinking about breeding their aquarium pets. If in many species of aquarium fish it is quite primitive to distinguish a female from a male (by color, size), then with goldfish the situation is the opposite.

You will need

Aquarium, goldfish, magnifying glass

Instructions

1. Goldfish become sexually mature by two years, although this depends on the completeness and diversity of the diet and the conditions in which they are kept. In this case, the volume of the aquarium plays a very significant role - for one goldfish you need at least 40 liters, and each “glass house” must be at least 100 liters. In small volumes, the fish do not progress well, they become as if “extended” and are incapable of spawning. In impeccable conditions, there were cases of even more early puberty - by one and a half years, while the diet was protein-rich. Consequently, before this age, even an experienced owner will not be able to distinguish between a male and a female.

2. When the fish become ready to reproduce, the first differences between male and female begin to appear. The female’s body takes on a rounded shape and a small spherical belly appears, while the male is more roasty.

3. The male's front paired fins have characteristic serrations that resemble small saw teeth in appearance. This is the core sign by which it is possible to distinguish a male from a female even outside the mating period.

4. With the beginning of spring, the courtship period begins for mature goldfish. At this time, the male invisibly differs from the female in his behavior. He behaves very energetically, violently courting his girlfriend, chasing her around every aquarium.

5. Another main sign of a male is the appearance of white tubercles on the head and gill covers during the spawning period. Occasionally, these tubercles can also be on the front fins. The same signs can appear with a serious disease of aquarium fish - ichthyophthyriosis. Tubercles appear on the fins of fish, similar to semolina. The main thing is not to confuse the spawning signs of the male with this disease.

Goldfish are a subspecies of silver crucian carp. Despite the name, these fish may differ in color. Red, white, and black individuals are often found in nature. In addition, goldfish are able to change color throughout their lives. Basically, metamorphosis occurs in the 1st year of life, however, in some cases, fish can change the shade of their scales even after puberty. On average, goldfish are ready to spawn at 7-8 months, but it is better if they begin to reproduce later than they are 2-4 years old. During this period, they reach maximum brightness of the color of their scales and fins. Until this time, it is very problematic to realize what gender your goldfish is.

You will need

In order to understand what gender your pet is, you need to take an observant look at it during the spawning period. If two fish of different sexes live in an aquarium, then you will immediately be able to determine which of them is male and which is female.

Instructions

1. First, compare the sizes fish. Males are usually somewhat smaller than females. At the same time, the latter have a more rounded belly. Males also have a slightly convex anal opening, while in females, on the contrary, it is possible to notice a depression in this area.

2. A few days before spawning, white specks appear on the gills of males. On the first rays of the pectoral fins you can also notice small clear notches, which some breeders call “saw”.

3. During the spawning period, males become very energetic. They begin to chase the females around the aquarium, and also “molest” the brides, pinning them in a corner.

Video on the topic

Pay attention!
If you want to breed goldfish, then do not forget that they need a lot of space for typical coexistence. Therefore, before purchasing a companion or partner for your pet, take care to expand its living space.

Useful advice
If a goldfish lives alone, it will be quite difficult to determine its gender. True, occasionally in males ready for spawning, sexual signs may occur regardless of whether there is a partner nearby. In this case, many novice breeders get scared and think that the fish is sick with something.

Chinese and Japanese breeders have developed several famous species of goldfish. Some people think that they are very easy to care for due to their enormous popularity. Occasionally, a person may be given a goldfish as a simple gift for some merit or simply as a virgin present, which will inevitably prompt a person to think about how to care for goldfish so that they can live well in his aquarium.

It is worth saying that in cases where the fish is not given proper care, it dies quite quickly. Occasionally she lives every three to four days. In order to provide positive care for goldfish, you must definitely take into account what kind of aquarium you have, and also know what needs to be done with the water before introducing the fish into it. It is also important to decide what to feed the animals. Speaking of choice the desired aquarium, it is worth saying that in small aquariums these fish die. The larger the fish itself or the larger their number, the larger the volume of the glass house should be. Also, future owners must know that the water must be enriched with oxygen. The main point is the choice of “contents” of the aquarium. For example, you need to put gravel on the bottom, because bacteria live on it, which absorb ammonia and its level in the water decreases. As for the temperature that needs to be maintained in order to keep a goldfish, it should not be less or more than 21 degrees. In order to keep one goldfish you will need: 40 liter aquarium - 1 piece. Aquarium filter, with the ability to pump air - 1 piece. Thermometer for aquariums. Medium-sized gravel. Aquarium snails. Catfish - 2 individuals. Special food for goldfish. Literature on the table of contents of goldfish. 1. Install the aquarium in a suitable place in your house or apartment.2. Place medium-sized gravel on the bottom of the aquarium.3. install a filter that pumps air.4. Install a special thermometer. 5. Fill the aquarium with clean water. 6. Add snails and catfish to the aquarium. 7. Wait a few days or even a week. 8. Make sure that the temperature in the aquarium is 21 degrees. 9. Launch the goldfish.10. Check how much food the fish eats at one time.11. Never overfeed your goldfish!12. Never use small aquariums to house your goldfish.

Video on the topic

Goldfish are a decoration for any aquarium. Some people think that caring for them is very primitive, but in fact there are several nuances that require special comprehension. One of these issues is reproduction. How to find out floor this type of aquarium fish?

Instructions

1. Goldfish reach floor reaches maturity only at two years of age. Until then, don't try to identify them. floor, this is actually unrealistic. However, there were cases when, under impeccable conditions of contents and a protein-intensive diet, males matured to floor morning years. These fish progress poorly in small rooms, so the volume of the aquarium should be at least one hundred liters.

2. Observe the fish during the maturation period. At this time, the females’ bodies take on a rounded shape, and the males remain lean. It is at this time that one can notice the first differences in the structure gold various fish floor A.

3. Using a magnifying glass, look at the front paired fins. In mature males, you can see characteristic notches on them, reminiscent of a saw with small teeth. By this sign it is possible to distinguish floor fish not even during the mating period, but only in floor density of mature individuals.

4. At the beginning of spring floor Mature goldfish enter the period of courtship and mating games. Males begin to differ greatly from females in behavior. They are very energetic, chasing females around every aquarium, and courting wildly and passionately. After watching mating game, you can easily distinguish floor their pets.

5. Also, by observing the head of the fish observantly through a magnifying glass, you will notice another core sign of the male. White tubercles appear on the head and gill covers during the spawning period. The main thing is not to confuse them with signs of ichthyophthyriosis - the disease gold fish, in which there appears on the fins white coating, somewhat similar to semolina. Spawning signs appear only during the breeding season.

6. After spawning, be sure to transfer the fish to a previously prepared reserve reservoir. This is done so that the aquarium inhabitants do not eat their offspring. The depositor, just like the core reservoir, must be equipped with a filter and a supply of clean air.

Video on the topic

Causes of death aquarium fish maybe a lot. Ideally, the environment in the aquarium should be as similar as possible to the natural habitat of the species of fish that you have placed in it. If there are any deviations, this can lead to health problems and even death of your pets.

Aquarium fish must be provided with ideal clean water Therefore, the aquarium must be perfectly lit and filtered. And, of course, it is impossible to forget about feeding and living plants. It would seem that fulfilling these requirements is quite easy, but what could go wrong? More often than not, fish die as a result of the following violations.

Main reasons

The first reason is poor quality water. If you do not frequently clean your aquarium satisfactorily, the waste products of the fish disintegrate and poison the water with nitrogen compounds. During the day, the fish accumulates a huge number of feces - up to a third of its weight. In addition, you should not overfeed your pets; on the contrary, uneaten food will begin to decompose. Unfortunately, many novice aquarists are poorly versed in similar issues and completely forget about timely cleaning. Nitrogen compounds such as ammonium, nitrate and nitrite make their presence felt unpleasant smell and turbidity The second reason is improper adaptation of purchased fish to new conditions. The catch is that the water in pet store aquariums and the water at home can be strikingly different in parameters such as pH, temperature, and hardness. It is impossible to simply take and throw a newly acquired fish into your aquarium; it may experience shock. You need to attach the bag with the new fish to the glass of the aquarium, set the aeration to low and add water to the bag every 10-15 minutes aquarium water. After an hour and a half, you can pour the water from the bag into the sink and put the fish in the aquarium. For better adaptation of new fish, it is advisable to add a special anti-stress drug to the aquarium.

What does an incorrect table of contents lead to?

The third fairly common reason is various diseases. But it is worth noting that the disease option should be considered only when the likelihood of clogging or maladaptation is excluded. And here we need to make a reservation that fish get sick due to decreased immunity caused by unfavorable conditions. If one of your fish has died, or a pestilence has begun, you need to consult with an expert who is not interested in selling expensive medicines. To prevent diseases, take proper care of your fish, and place sick and recently acquired imported fish in quarantine. Finally, you should list the unfavorable factors that can negatively affect the health of your fish, which can lead to death. These factors include tap water, broken winter time heater, lack of oxygen, and finally, aggression from other fish.

Video on the topic

Parrot fish belong to the cichlid family. Quite often this type fish are allowed to be found in our aquariums. West Africa- the homeland of aquarium fish parrots. The male at home reaches a length of no more than seven centimeters, the female grows up to five centimeters.

The male of this species of fish breeds only one pair, so it is recommended to raise future breeders in a separate aquarium, the volume of which should not be less than forty liters. Select ten fry there. If you don’t want to plant them separately, then it’s better to keep them during the spawning period of parrots with species that live in upper layers water - this will help avoid potential clashes. The fish are ready to reproduce at approximately one year of age. Males, when ready, find a mate and look for a suitable shelter. They won't let anyone in anymore. The water temperature to stimulate spawning should be no higher than 28 degrees. During the breeding season, a female parrot fish lays about 300 eggs, their color is reddish-chestnut. The fish first prepare special shelters for the larvae after hatching. These shelters look like holes. After five days, the young begin to swim little by little and feed on plankton.

Tip 7: How does the aquarium fish Zebrafish reproduce: conditions

Getting offspring of the aquarium fish zebrafish is not difficult even for a novice aquarist. Despite the fact that it is not viviparous fish, and spawning requires little time and expense: a small horizontal aquarium, several plants, pebbles and two weeks of patience.

Danios are small, peaceful schooling fish carp family. In nature, they live in flowing or stagnant bodies of water in Asia. They can even live in flooded rice fields. They are not demanding in terms of living conditions and are suitable for beginners. Aquarium zebrafish grow up to 5 cm long, have an oblong body. The color comes in various shades - from whitish to silver, golden, pinkish, depending on the color of the close longitudinal stripes on a clear background. Danios are omnivores. They usually live in aquariums for 2 years, occasionally 4-5 years.

Preparing the spawning area

Zebrafish are small, so a horizontal glass container with a volume of 3-5 liters each is suitable as a spawning ground. 3-4 plants are laid out at the bottom, which are pressed down with smooth pebbles. Settled water at a temperature of 24-25°C is poured into the container. Zebrafish reach maturity at 4-10 months. For better spawning, experts recommend changing up to 20% of the water in the aquarium all day a week before. Fresh water should be settled and have a cool temperature - about 20 ° C. After this, 3 days before spawning, it is best to place the females and males in different aquariums. Female zebrafish are distinguished from male zebrafish by a more rounded abdomen and more distinct stripes on the back. During this period, the fish are vigorously fed with high-calorie food, say, bloodworms or bark. On a certain day, the spawning ground is transferred to a well-lit place and one female with an obviously thickened abdomen at the anus and two or three energetic male zebrafish are placed in it.

Zebrafish Reproduction

After landing the fish, spawning occurs the next morning, at dawn, or a day later. It's fascinating to watch how the males begin to chase the female and chase her around each spawning area, striking directly at the belly of the fish. Thus, they stimulate it to release eggs, which are fertilized here. The eggs settle little by little, over about an hour, and attach to the bottom of the spawning ground. After the end of spawning, the zebrafish are transferred to a public aquarium. Pebbles are removed from the bottom of the spawning area so that the plants float to the surface. At the bottom, transparent egg balls are clearly visible. After 3-5 days, fish emerge from the eggs. They grow quite richly. The young are fed ciliates, “live dust,” and special food for fry. A female zebrafish lays up to 400 eggs, but no more than 100 fry survive to adulthood. Within a week the female is ready to spawn again.

Video on the topic

Goldfish are a type of freshwater crucian carp. They are very famous among aquarium fish lovers. However, not all of those who keep a goldfish care for it properly, although it is not at all difficult to do this.

Aquarium

There is a large variety of breeds related to the type of goldfish, say, “Ryukin”, “Lionhead”, “Veiltail”, etc. Some of these fish reach 25 - 30 cm in length, so if you decide to have similar fish, be prepared for the fact that you will need a fairly large aquarium with a capacity of 100 to 200 liters. This size of the aquarium is needed so that the fish can live as long as possible. Small aquariums quickly accumulate ammonia, which causes the death of fish. When choosing soil for an aquarium, remember that goldfish often burrow into it in search of food, this can cause pieces of stones to get into their mouths. If you keep these fish, it is advisable to fill the aquarium with large stones or very fine sand. Neither one nor the other will cause damage to the fish. Wherever you get the soil, you need to rinse it thoroughly before putting it into the aquarium. This also applies to special soil, the kind that you can buy in specialized stores. Be sure to place real aquatic plants in the aquarium. They will help effectively fight ammonia and other harmful substances that accumulate in it over time. Also ensure there is sufficient light from the lamps. Goldfish on average require about 12 hours of light per day. To keep goldfish healthy, the aquarium must be equipped with a water filter. It will help keep the water as clean as possible and prevent fish from getting sick from harmful impurities, say, from rotten food particles.

Habitat care

Regularly test the water for the presence of ammonia; its level should always be at zero. In addition, the table of contents of goldfish imposes certain restrictions on the ph level of the water, make sure that this indicator is in the range from 6 to 8. Be diligent in regularly cleaning the aquarium from harmful particles that are not removed by the filter, do this at least once once a week. If you do not drain the water to replace it, be careful not to remove the fish from the aquarium; use a vacuum pump to clean it. If you change the water, transfer the fish with the help of a container, do not use a net for this. Always prepare the water for the aquarium properly; use special aquarium conditioners for this; they help bring the water to the desired state. Never use clean drinking water, it will lack many of the useful substances these fish need.

Feeding and illness

Pay attention!
If the spawning is successful, then you need to remember that goldfish can eat their offspring. Consequently, immediately after spawning, they need to be transplanted into a fish tank. It should be equipped with a filter and air supply, and differ from an aquarium only in its smaller volume.

Useful advice
It’s best to keep goldfish at temperatures no higher than 24 degrees.

Goldfish are traditionally a favorite among aquarists. Avid fans are not afraid of the difficulties in maintaining these amazing creatures, because in appearance these fish look truly royal. Many aquarists are also engaged in targeted breeding of these representatives of the aquarium ichthyofauna, which is not an easy task with many unknowns. Difficulties begin with determining the sex of a goldfish, because males and females of most varieties are not much different from each other. And their behavior outside the breeding season is largely similar.

Today we will look into the features appearance and the behavior of these amazing creatures, according to legend, capable of making wishes come true. Unfortunately, there are no universal and absolute recommendations in this aspect, because even experienced aquarists often confuse females and males, especially those who have not reached sexual maturity. And this is important not only for breeding, because some hobbyists even assign fish proper names. You call the fish Vasily, and it starts laying eggs. The fish doesn’t care, but the owner will be upset!

Difficulties in determining the sex of goldfish

Unfortunately, there are no specific tests to identify male and female goldfish. Aquarists have to rely on the visual features of both sexes, as well as their characteristic behavioral traits.

The tips listed below only work for properly kept and well-fed individuals. If fish are kept in improper conditions and fed improperly, gender differences are erased.
Maximum confidence is provided by the study of sexually mature individuals. It is during the period of readiness for reproduction that individuals acquire the characteristics inherent to their sex. Males of this species mature much earlier than females. The former can reach maturity by 9 months, while the latter sometimes take three years to prepare for the first spawn.
Gender identification of many breeds is particularly difficult. In some breeds, representatives of both sexes are endowed with dense, round bodies, so you have to rely on a combination of other characteristics. Gender identification is especially difficult among Ranchu and Ryukins.

External features of females

Inexperienced aquarists often believe that females are more plump, less active and not as brightly colored as males. However, this is not always the case, so let’s focus on more typical gender characteristics"beautiful golden ladies":

Body Shape. Females have a more rounded body vertically, that is, it is taller in vertical projection. In addition, before spawning, the eggs ripen in the female’s abdomen, which makes her “plump,” and the protrusion often occurs on one side. However, the female's readiness to reproduce can easily be confused with abdominal dropsy, a disease that unfortunately affects both sexes.
Protruding anus. Visually, the protruding anus looks like a small growth located on the abdomen near the tail of the fish. But it must be taken into account that the absence of protrusion of the anus may be a consequence of underfeeding or illness.
Denser anal fin. This characteristic feature females can only be identified by palpation, and in comparison with the anal fin of the male.

Females are usually more passive in behavior, but unhealthy males can behave in a similar way.

Identifying males

When identifying male goldfish, you should pay attention to the following characteristic features:

Growths on the body. Characteristic growths develop in sexually mature males and signal their readiness to reproduce. They can be present on the gill covers, head, fins and even the scales of the male. Usually these “pearls” become visually noticeable by the mating season, but in older males they are often constantly present. The absence of growths may indicate illness or poor nutrition, and perhaps individual feature specific fish.
Elongated body. The bodies of males are usually more extended in length, approaching a fusiform, streamlined shape. However, this feature is not found in all breeds.
Retracted anus. A retracted anus is also found in females, but for males it is more characteristic feature. The anus of the male has an elongated oval shape (in females it is more rounded). The anal fin is correspondingly softer.
"Scallop" on the abdomen. The male's abdomen has a more protruding line downwards. The characteristic vertical roundness is achieved due to the “comb” passing through the entire abdomen to the anus. Females never have it, but sometimes males also lack combs.
Active behavior. Males are most active during the breeding season: they persistently pursue plump females throughout the aquarium. They stay from below and sometimes push the females under the abdomen. At the first opportunity, males press their golden ladies against the walls of the aquarium and other obstacles, encouraging them to spawn. In the absence of representatives of the fair sex, males, fueled by hormones, pursue each other.

As we have already said, the most experienced aquarist will not give a 100% guarantee that this or that individual will be male or female. However, we hope that based on the combination of signs listed in this article, you will be able to determine the gender of your pets with maximum accuracy!

HOW TO DETERMINE THE SEX OF A GOLDFISH?

Everyone wants to know the gender of their goldfish, unless of course the goldfish are purely for decorative purposes. True goldfish lovers usually want to produce offspring from them, and this is where gender determination becomes especially important. There are several ways to determine the sex of goldfish.

During the spawning period, male goldfish are easier to identify. Males develop tubercles or white tubercles, growths along the pectoral fins and gill covers. In addition, the male develops jagged teeth on the paired front fins, the so-called “saw”. Females become slightly asymmetrical, especially in the abdominal area. They look bloated.

Photo of the structure of a goldfish

Photo of a male goldfish, the tubercles are clearly visible in the photo, distinguishing the golden male from the female.

At the end of the spawning period and after several seasons of spawning, some males have a hard chest area.

Here are a few more ways to determine the sex of a goldfish, but even they are useless if the fish is not at least a year old*, that is, if the fish has not reached sexual maturity.

1. Males have a growth that extends through the back of the pelvic fin to the anus. In females this growth is either completely absent or much smaller.

2. In females, the area between the ventral and anal fins is soft, while in males it is hard.

3. Although it is difficult to see, the anus of females is round and convex, while the anus of males is thinner and concave.

4. The male's pelvic fins are pointed, while the female's pelvic fins are round and shorter.

5. The color of females is brighter and they are more active.

6. You can introduce a female goldfish into the aquarium and observe the reaction of the other goldfish. Males will swim to new fish, and they will chase after her.

Here is a photo of male and female goldfish

photo male goldfish Oranda male goldfish Telescope