How to sex Swordtails

Boo Boo Magoo · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:57 pm Post subject: How to sex Swordtails

Hi

Could anyone tell me how old will my swordtails have to be before I know what sex they are?

Thanks

t_chelle16 · Moderator Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437

I've never actually bred swordtails before so I don't know for sure. But I would think that that after a few weeks, their fins would start to develop enough that you could make out the sword on the males.

-Chelle

Boo Boo Magoo · Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 3:53 pm Post subject:

Thanks chelle, they are 7 weeks old now and none of them show any signs of growing a sword as yet. May be they are just all females at the mo and will only change when they are away from the adult male in my tank.

kc5gvn · Moderator Joined: 15 Mar 2004 Posts: 1147

Males have a rod-shaped anal fin (gonopodium). Females have a fan shaped anal fin.

rgg · New member Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Posts: 13

I was able to distinguish mine in close to around 4 months. Had these exotic top quality koi swords.

-Raghu

Boo Boo Magoo · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject:

Wow 4 months! Thats another 8 weeks! I've already got another 6 babies in a breeding net and the adult female is pregnant again. I'm gona be over ridden with these little orange critters (mine being your common garden variety). Thanks for the info though Raghu. It looks like I may have to send them to the shop early as I've only got a small set up and I'll never know what sex they are.

Boo Boo Magoo · Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:29 pm Post subject:

Today I notice that 3 of my 7 adolescent swordtails have grown gonopodiums. They are now 10 weeks old, so that answers my question really. Does anyone know when the males become aggressive towards each other?