male or female betta

[bathawk]

I bought 2 half moon male betta fish they are in a 60 liter divided tank I also bought online another betta listed as metalic silver male betta as my intention was to get a aqua one trio 32 liter tank that can hold 3 betta's. I bought it yesterday and decided to setup today as one betta was in 12 liter tank for the night. The aqua one measures 55 cm long 25 cm high 25 cm depth for me too small not enough swimming space so I put the metalic betta into my 127 lt tank that had a young female convict and 2 otto catfish . The convict started stalking the betta and the betta started faliring up so I moved the convict I am left with the betta and 2 otto catfish what can I put in there with the batta the tank measures 81 cm long 46 cm high and 46 cm depth. I had a female betta in a community tank for years but would like to know if this metalic silver betta is a male.

 

[Fishman Dave]

I would say yes but hard to tell nowadays just by looking. I find best way is to hold a mirror to the glass. Females sometimes react but lose interest quickly. Males will try to fight the reflection quite a lot.

 

[Hybridfish7]

male
easiest way to tell is ventral length if you can't see an egg spot

 

[bathawk]

ok thanks oh yes I will try the mirror test.

 

[Sinister-Kisses]

This is a male. You can tell by the overall body shape.

Females can have long ventrals, though it's not as common for them to be and they are usually shorter than this. And females can and should flare just as much as a male will at a reflection, though their "beard" is usually smaller. But the flare reaction is NOT dependent on sex, simply on the individual fish itself.

And an egg spot is not a reliable method of sexing either. Young males often show a "false" egg spot.

 

[Fishman Dave]

So the egg spot is not reliable, the flare reaction is not reliable, the ventrals are not reliable BUT you say just looking at the overall shape IS!

Hahahaha. Twoddle!

A young immature female will hold the same shape as a male.