Helen 8,511 Posted August 15, 2012 i just giggled at the topic tags ok.. much has been asked about how to sex goldfish. this is my view on how to tell male from female and visa versa.. male: breeding stars on pectorial fins as well as on gill plates, around eyes and sometimes all over the head. the pectorial fins of a male, on top are rather thick so they can carry their manlihood with pride this guy, he's got breeding stars only on pec fins. sometimes breeding stars can be seen on his gill plates, but most often, he displays them only on his pec fins: the vent of the male goldfish: notice that it's smaller and taller. the female. her pectorial fins on top are thinner and there are no breeding stars: the female goldfish vent: notice how it's wider, stretched like more of a circle or in this instance, kinda like a triangle or diamond? you can also tell the difference between a male and female goldfish when they're turned upside down by their bellies between the ventral fins and how they are attached to their bodies. normally on the male goldfish, the space between the ventral fins is slightly more concave. on a female, it's quite full and round. the male in that area tends to be thinner where the female can carry a rather lovely and smooth belly. if you go back to the belly pictures i posted above you will notice the difference i mention here. hope this helps a few members to be able to sex your goldfish with ease happy sexing! Click here to view the article 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MissColonel 256 Posted August 15, 2012 Very nicely done I love how beutiful and detailed the photos are and the facts Castor is my only undicided and I am starting to leah towards girl since certain angles look like a outtie vent lol. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dnalex 13,633 Posted August 15, 2012 Nice work, Helen! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haley_tichonuk22 1,157 Posted August 15, 2012 This is awesome Helen!! This would have helped me out so much when I was first trying to sex my fish lol. Its always hard to tell just by what people are telling you. Pictures always make it easier. Great post 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sharkbait3 310 Posted August 15, 2012 guess what I just did Helen??....I held my gold fish to sex them..............and YEP...........both are girls............... when button gets a lot bigger.............I will sex h/she too !! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tithra 4,917 Posted August 15, 2012 good post! we should pin this one 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shakaho 6,312 Posted August 15, 2012 Thanks. Off topic, but that first fish is gorgeous. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen 8,511 Posted August 16, 2012 Very nicely done I love how beutiful and detailed the photos are and the facts Castor is my only undicided and I am starting to leah towards girl since certain angles look like a outtie vent lol. thanks hun Nice work, Helen! thank you Alex This is awesome Helen!! This would have helped me out so much when I was first trying to sex my fish lol. Its always hard to tell just by what people are telling you. Pictures always make it easier. Great post aawww thank you!, i have been meaning to do this for a while. i am the kind of person that needs pics to learn too guess what I just did Helen??....I held my gold fish to sex them..............and YEP...........both are girls............... when button gets a lot bigger.............I will sex h/she too !! glad this helped hun! and i am so happy you were able to handle your fish.. squirmy little buggers eh? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen 8,511 Posted August 16, 2012 good post! we should pin this one thanks hun!.. i will check with shay if it's worth pinning as there are other topics of the same Thanks. Off topic, but that first fish is gorgeous. i really like him too!.. he has a disability tho.. the poor thing cannot rest upright. he's always flat on his side in the tank and only comes up good for food or if there is something happening.. so i snap photos of him when he's active. eats and swims well, but he just can't stay upright. this happened just after the first spawn. i wonder if he injured himself during the big chase.. silly boys 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scrappinjaime 86 Posted August 16, 2012 That was so awesome, very helpful. Thank you 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen 8,511 Posted August 16, 2012 That was so awesome, very helpful. Thank you You're very welcome hun 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pandamanda111 150 Posted August 16, 2012 Helen, this is wonderful!! Great job, thanks a ton for making this! I will Try to determine the sex of Bert and Norton today (though I think both are girls fail. ) 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen 8,511 Posted August 16, 2012 Helen, this is wonderful!! Great job, thanks a ton for making this! I will Try to determine the sex of Bert and Norton today (though I think both are girls fail. ) no problems hun.. i wish healthy gendering to your goldies and a lot of naaawww, dawwww.. oooooh... aaaaahhhh's 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shellbell4ever 1,381 Posted August 17, 2012 Very well done Helen next w/c I will be flipping my fish lol 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjbubbles 211 Posted August 17, 2012 Very HELPFUL! I went over to check my fish, and they saw me and all started doing to feed me dance. I'll have to wait until after breakfast I guess. Thanks,Helen. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen 8,511 Posted August 20, 2012 Very well done Helen next w/c I will be flipping my fish lol how did you manage shelly? have you determined genders yet? thank you for your compliments Very HELPFUL! I went over to check my fish, and they saw me and all started doing to feed me dance. I'll have to wait until after breakfast I guess. Thanks,Helen. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2 thank you MJ! i hope you find what you initially expected! total goofballs! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LovelyChaos 869 Posted August 25, 2012 So if the vent is right up in between/ closer to the anal fins, would that indicate girl? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Helen 8,511 Posted September 3, 2012 typically yes. but there have been threats of gender benders.. so we go more for the shape of the vent and wether they have thin or thick pectorial fins mainly. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted May 20, 2019 On 8/15/2012 at 8:07 PM, Helen said: i really like him too!.. he has a disability tho.. the poor thing cannot rest upright. he's always flat on his side in the tank and only comes up good for food or if there is something happening.. so i snap photos of him when he's active. eats and swims well, but he just can't stay upright. this happened just after the first spawn. i wonder if he injured himself during the big chase.. silly boys Maybe he's just being a male and is "exhausted" and playing that up LOL! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites