Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

How To Determine The Sex of Discus Fish


One of the biggest question asked of the discus breeder is "how do I determine the sex of my fish?" There are very few easy identifiable identifiers in this process. Here, we will discuss the methods used by some of the top breeders.

In juvenile fish, determining sex is almost impossible. It is only when they begin to pair off that an opportunity arises to help in the determination of sex. Juvenile fish, both male and female, have a rounded dorsal fin, and it is not until they begin to mature that a difference can be detected. As it is never wise to excessively handle the fish, close observation is in order to aid the breeder.

In Allnut Enterprises' King Discus Hatchery, for example, it is an easy process to determine who is who, as we have observed these fish for a while, and can determine the sex of the pairs we own. This would be true in any hatchery. But to the uninitiated or casual observer, this would not be easy to do.

Some of the identifiers: The male will have thicker lips to aid him in his fight to protect the female, and will be more aggressive. He will be larger than the female, his forehead is thicker, and we have observed that if the discus are a bit shy, the male will have a tendency to stay between the female and the observer.

The dorsal fin of the male will be pointed, and the female's dorsal fin will be rounded. Note that in juvenile discus, this is not apparent.

The breeding tube of the female, between the anus and anal fin, is broader and rounder than the male, and will have a blunt tip. The male, in turn, has a smaller, sharper breeding tube. Be aware that this is only evident during spawning, and should be closely observed.

It has been said that the male discus fish will tend to have a less intense color and more pattern while the female tends to be more colorful but with lesser pattern. I disagree, because too many variables are in place here, such as the health of the discus, the water parameters, and feeding pattern.

In an interesting article by Jeff Richard, he discusses an article from Diskus Brief, a German publication, which reports a very successful way of determine sex of a discus by using simple geometry. Jeff reports, and I quote: "Picture a discus facing to your left ... you would be looking at its side. Find the Dorsal (Top) and Anal (bottom) fins and look where the fins slope down toward the Caudal (tail) fin ... make sure you're looking at the fins after they have curved back toward the tail. The Dorsal and Anal Fins become (almost) straight after the fins curve down (or up) toward the Caudal Fin ... extend an imaginary line along this straight section of the 2 fins back toward the tail which just touches the Dorsal & Anal Fins past the Caudal Fin. These two imaginary lines should intersect behind the fish. The key to sexing the fish is where the lines cross the Caudal fin. If they pass through the Caudal Fin, the fish is most likely a FEMALE. If they miss or just touch the Caudal Fin, then most likely it is a MALE." Thanks, Jeff!

Sexing Discus is difficult at best. The easiest way to do so is to raise a group of at least six to eight discus, and allow them to pair off when ready. It is a beautiful sight to see this happen, and makes the hobby well worthwhile.

Alden Smith is a published author, and has been marketing on the internet for 7 years. His website, King Discus, is an active gathering place for discus breeders and lovers of discus fish.

His wife Betsy is the administrator of All The Best Recipes a site rich in online recipes and cookbooks.


MORE RESOURCES:

Pets - Google News

About 40 pets removed from Hillyard home - The Spokesman Review


About 40 pets removed from Hillyard home
The Spokesman Review
Spokane Police assisted SpokAnimal Care officers in removing a total of about 40 dogs and cats today from a northeast Hillyard bungalow which carried such a heavy stench that the workers were forced to wear hazardous material suits and respirators to ...

and more »

Tufts Joins City Schools to Help Pets in Need - Patch.com


Tufts Joins City Schools to Help Pets in Need
Patch.com
That effort has since grown to serve 200 pets each year at six WHA sites. “By pairing veterinary assistant students alongside professional DVM students, we will be able to do more than just treat the critically underserved pets among the neediest ...
Tufts to open vet clinic in WorcesterWorcester Telegram

all 4 news articles »

Dog therapist helps pets get fit - Asbury Park Press


Dog therapist helps pets get fit
Asbury Park Press
Josie's owner, So Scazafavo, began a program of pet therapy at Wag Wellness in Bothell. Josie can't twirl around like a ballerina like she used to, but she has regained some of the use of her hind legs and is doing really well, Scazafavo said.

and more »

February is National Pet Dental Health Month - Sacramento Bee


February is National Pet Dental Health Month
Sacramento Bee
Poor oral hygiene may lead to serious disease in our pets. Given that February is National Pet Dental Health Month, the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association encourages you to better care for your pet's teeth. Just as we can experience plaque and ...
February Marks Pet Dental Health MonthKTUL (blog)

all 7 news articles »

Pet oxygen masks can save animals' lives in fires - Alton Telegraph


Pet oxygen masks can save animals' lives in fires
Alton Telegraph
16, 2010 file photo, a pet oxygen mask is placed on a dog, Mocha, during a demonstration by a member of the Portland Fire Department in Portland, Maine. While pet oxygen masks have been used for decades by veterinarians in offices and hospitals, ...

and more »

Michigan Humane Society Pets for Patriots Program - MyFox Detroit


MyFox Detroit

Michigan Humane Society Pets for Patriots Program
MyFox Detroit
The Michigan Humane Society (MHS), is teaming up with Pets for Patriots to give back to the men and women in uniform who inspire us all. The partnership will give active duty personnel and military veterans the opportunity to save even more lives by ...
Pets eat the weirdest things; pet proof your homeDaily Camera
Bad pet owners might be causing fee hikes for everyone elseKFOX El Paso
Meridian Valley Humane Society joins forces with Pets for PatriotsKIVI-TV

all 4 news articles »

Fracking's Toll on Pets, Livestock Chills Farmers: Commentary - San Francisco Chronicle


Fracking's Toll on Pets, Livestock Chills Farmers: Commentary
San Francisco Chronicle
A new study by veterinarian Michelle Bamberger and Robert Oswald, a professor of veterinary medicine at Cornell University, chronicles case studies of dozens of farmers and pet owners in six states over the Marcellus Shale. Their findings, published in ...

and more »

Proposed Bill Protects Pets of Domestic Abuse Victims - Patch.com


Proposed Bill Protects Pets of Domestic Abuse Victims
Patch.com
Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who's district also falls partly into Clearwater, extends legal protection to pets of an abuse victim and makes beating or abusing the victim's pet grounds for violating a court-ordered domestic violence injunction.

and more »

Pet Obesity Rate Rises - VetPracticeNews.com


VetPracticeNews.com

Pet Obesity Rate Rises
VetPracticeNews.com
The percentage of pet cats and dogs classified as overweight remained relatively constant over the past year, but the rate of obesity increased, especially among cats, according to the fifth annual veterinary survey conducted by the Association for Pet ...
Pet Owners May Be In Denial But Study Says Rover Isn't Big-Boned, He's FatThe Consumerist
Alison Sweeney Backs 'Million Pound Pledge' for PetsZootoo.com
New Survey Shows US Dog and Cat Obesity Rates are climbingFirst Coast News
KPHO Phoenix
all 6 news articles »

Meet Your Match boosts puppy love (and kitty love) by matching people and pets ... - Washington Post


The Associated Press

Meet Your Match boosts puppy love (and kitty love) by matching people and pets ...
Washington Post
The color-coded program evaluates shelter pets and the people looking to adopt them in an effort to match personalities, energy levels and needs. Playing Cupid with Meet Your Match helped workers at the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to ...
Find puppy love (cats too) through Meet Your MatchWTOP

all 170 news articles »

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

Jumbuck Domain Is For Sale - $5,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.Jumbuck.biz 2011

home | site map | links

eXTReMe Tracker