As breeding time approaches, male goldfish will develop small, light-colored bumps on the first ray of their pectoral fins and on their opercula (gill covers). Of course, the easiest way to sex goldfish is to let them tell you directly. As breeding time approaches these differences are more pronounced. The anal opening of a female goldfish also usually projects slightly from the body.
The anal opening of a male goldfish tends to be smaller and more oval than that of a female goldfish. This assumes, of course, that the fish are receiving quality care - good water quality, good fish food and so on. When viewed from above, males tend to be smaller and thinner than females of the same age. The first ray of males tends to be thicker and longer than those of females of the same age. (You will have a 98-percent probability of having at least one fish of the opposite sex.) Ideally, for reliable breeding you would like to have several good quality males and one female.Īs goldfish mature, some subtle external differences emerge and this makes it much easier to separate the boys from the girls. If you are selecting from a stock of young goldfish, then I suggest you buy a half dozen good specimens of the same variety and let statistical odds work for you. I am sorry, but no one I know can reliably sex young goldfish. Let me offer some tips.įirst, it helps greatly if the fish are already mature, or at least more than one year old. With some practice, however, you should be able to separate males and females fairly reliably. Having only two fish, wanting to breed them and not knowing if you have a male and a female can make things difficult. Is there some way to distinguish a male from a female goldfish? A. The pet store employees cannot tell either. There is one problem: I cannot tell if they are a male and female pair, or if they are the same sex. I just bought two fantail goldfish and I am interested in breeding them if possible.
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