Sexing?

[Blue]

How do you tell the difference?
Is there any sexual dimorphism in discus or do i have to keep every fish that I would maybe one day like to breed?
I have a 240L tank that I'm growing on 8 fish and a 150L cube tank that I am growing on 6 fish.
The 150L cube will be a breeding tank if any pair off. I have plenty of room for growing on tanks should I have any success

Thanks

Barry

[leanne31]

Barry its very hard to sex fish the best way is the way your doing just have 8 or so fish and let them pair off themselves.
Sometimes in the adult fish I have noticed they get like a little flick bit in their top fin in all of my sisters fish that have that they have been males but thats not 100% reliable just keep on doing what your doing and hopefully you should get a couple of pairs.

Leanne

[Merrilyn]

Discus have a wonderful habit of making fools of people who believe they can tell the sexes apart.

The only SURE sign is to watch them spawning, and observe the shape of the genital papillae. The female has a blunt round tube, and the male's is more a V shape.

Having said that, there are other signs that you can look for:-

Elongation of the dorsal and anal fin on mature males.

A more rounded dorsal and anal fin on females.

Larger body size, and more intense overall colour in the male.

Broader head on the male when observed from the front.

None of which are totally reliable. I have had the most masculine looking fish lay eggs!

After thirty years, I'm not silly enough to guess any more, unless they are fish from my own breeding, and I have a tankfull of juveniles to compare.

The best way, is to get a group of 6 or more, and allow them to do the choosing. That way, you will have a good chance of getting a compatible pair.

[jim from sydney]

Once they have laid their eggs do the eggs and parents need to be separated from the others in the community tank??? if so when and how to do this???.....Jim

[Merrilyn]

Jim, I usually let them spawn once or twice in the community tank before I move the pair into the breeding tank. It gives me a chance to see if I do actually have a pair, and not as sometimes happens, two females.

I also think having some time in the community tank defending their eggs helps to build a strong pair bond, and they are less likely to become egg eaters themselves.

I've never had them successfully raise a brood in the community tank, but I am prepared to sacrifice the first brood to get good parents.

[Blue]

Oh well looks like I have some waiting to do. :)

[jim from sydney]

Ladyred.......thanks........am watching them Is there any way to tell them to hurry-up a bit????Like music or special foods?????Or just be kind to them i suppose????Jim

[Merrilyn]

Well..............I believe Barry White music has a pretty good effect on the ladies ................................ :lol: just kidding.

There are actually a few things you can try. First - waterchanges.

In the wild, breeding behaviour is triggered by the monsoon rains washing more, slightly cooler, water into the rivers, along with an influx of meaty food in the form of insects.

So if we simulate that in the tank, do a water change with water that is about 2 degrees cooler than the normal tank temperature, and feed a high protein diet, you should have success.

Daily water changes with this cooler water should have them spawning within a week.

HTH