Sexing GBR with pictures+video

2550 Views 12 Replies 8 Participants Last post by JEFF9922, Mar 2, 2017

dbl_dbl17

Discussion Starter · Feb 27, 2017 (Edited by Moderator)

Picked up two German Blues for my tank today. Was hoping to get a pair as it's only a 30g and they are the biggest I've ever seen.

I am certain the one with the long flowing fins is male, but the other one to me is a question mark. I think it might be a male as well.

Any thoughts?

Male

Male again

Not sure

Not sure again

Not sure once more

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Video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=tuvZsR1teY8

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Nlewis

· #2 · Feb 27, 2017

Both are male

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dbl_dbl17

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 27, 2017

Thought that was the case. What gave it away? I was trying to use the dorsal fin rays and the colouring. When I got them home it seemed pretty clear but I still don't have a good grasp on finding females.

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cininohio

· #4 · Feb 27, 2017

They are so beautiful!

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zackariah

· #5 · Feb 27, 2017

Pink belly is what I use to id females.

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elusive77

· #6 · Feb 27, 2017

+1 on the pink belly. I've tried looking at the other characteristics and they don't always seem correct IME. But if you see that bright pink belly you know it's a female. Not the best pic but you can see the difference here.

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Coralbandit

· #7 · Feb 27, 2017

Males anal fins reach into the tail fin ,while a females will be short of the base of tail fin.
First looks like a longfin??? NEVER have seen a female longfin?? EVER...
Behavior is best indicator.How do they get along?
2 males 90%...

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zackariah

· #8 · Feb 27, 2017

Another attribute that I have notice, is females tend to be more streamlined (hydrodynamic) the picture above is a good example. I second coral bandit on the long fin females and anything else he says about rams.

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lksdrinker

· #9 · Feb 27, 2017

2 males. As noted above, length of the anal fin is best way to sex rams. On males the anal fin extends past the "joint" of the body/caudal fin while on females the anal fin stops at or before that joint between tail/body

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dbl_dbl17

Discussion Starter · #10 · Feb 28, 2017

Coralbandit said:
Males anal fins reach into the tail fin ,while a females will be short of the base of tail fin.
First looks like a longfin??? NEVER have seen a female longfin?? EVER...
Behavior is best indicator.How do they get along?
2 males 90%...

They've settled into each having a side of the tank, but I still think I am going to sell the smaller male and find a female.

Thanks for the help everyone!

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lksdrinker

· #11 · Feb 28, 2017

dbl_dbl17 said:
They've settled into each having a side of the tank, but I still think I am going to sell the smaller male and find a female.

Thanks for the help everyone!

Just because you have (or might in the future anyway) a male and a female in the same tank doesnt guarantee they'll actually pair off. Just something to keep in mind as you go forward.

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dbl_dbl17

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 2, 2017

lksdrinker said:
Just because you have (or might in the future anyway) a male and a female in the same tank doesnt guarantee they'll actually pair off. Just something to keep in mind as you go forward.

Yes but surely it raises the possibility of babies