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Anyone know how to sex discus?

610 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  RustyPleco
Hello last week I bought a pair of F1 alenquer discus, the same night I put them in my tank they laid eggs! Which is great, so I know one of them is defernatly female, however sadly after a couple of days the eggs went white. I have read this could be a number of things including unfertilised eggs, I also read that 2 female discus could pair off and go through the mating ritual.

If anyone knows how to sex discus please look at the pictures attached. Many thanks in advance.

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Here is the other one.

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Sexing discus is quite difficult at the best of times. Occasionally, you may find that while females generally have a dorsal fin that is smooth, even and rounded at the back end, while SOME males' dorsal MAY end with an arced, pointed tip at the end - but that's said not to be a very reliable indicator.
Your two fish both appear to have rounded dorsal ends, but that's not evidence they are both females.
Another indicator (IF you can spot it while the egg-laying is taking place)is that the female may have & show a rounded anal tube/protrusion, whereas a male's is tapered to a point.
Keep an eye on them - they'll spawn again - when they do, and if you have a male, he may fertilize the eggs (many times, they don't, particularly when they're new at it - sometimes it takes several spawnings for them to "get it right").
Healthy, fertilized eggs will take on a light brownish color, so you'll know.
As/when you get a couple more spawnings, if the eggs stay white, you'll know you have 2 females.
Hope this helps.

Check out the very first picture in an album of mine below:
That first pic is of a Red Snake Skin believed to be a male - see how the dorsal fin kind of sweeps up/arcs into a pointed tip at the end.
http://s1105.photobucket.com/albums/h357/discuspaul/Sept2011

P.S. In Pic # 9 - center of tank - the 2 RSS's -.....left one is female - right one is the believed male (You can also see the 'male' in pic #12) -(click on photos to enlarge)
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They look like a beautiful pair to me!
Yes, they are beautiful - but what do you see that makes you think they are a pair ? Does photo # 2 show an arced, pointed tip dorsal to you ? - it's hard for me to tell with the dark background behind the fish.
thanks thats very helpful information and advise, i will keep a eye on them, i have just bought a new tank and breeding cone ect. as my plan is to breed them. (fingers crossed)

i will get all the conditions right for them and we will see what happens!

btw your RSS are beautiful. :)
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