How to Gender Discrimination of Guppies

Guppies are quite popular aquarium fish because they have very eye-catching colors. Although guppies are easy to feed on newly born young, they will reproduce very quickly after mating. You can tell the sex of guppies fairly easily by body shape, fins and color when they are at least a week old.

Table of Contents

Check the body shape and color of the fish

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Check to see if the fish’s body is slim or round. The body shape of male and female guppies is very different and very characteristic. The body of the male fish is usually elongated, while the female fish is larger and rounder, sometimes twice as large as the male fish.

During pregnancy, the female’s body will swell up like it’s stuffed and even lumpy. The closer to the date of birth, the more rounded the female’s body will be. ^{[1] X Research Source}
You can use a magnifying glass to make it easier to see the body shape, size and color of the fish as they swim in the tank.

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Note the size of the fish. You can estimate the size of fish to determine their sex. Female guppies can grow up to 6 cm long and are usually much larger than males. In contrast, the male fish can only be about 3 cm long.

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Observe the vibrant colors and patterns on the fish’s body. Male guppies are usually more brightly colored than females; Their whole body can be covered with bright colors and patterns. The body and tail of the male fish are spotted or streaked in orange, blue, purple, green, black and white. These colors will help them attract females. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Note that the many colors and patterns on the fish’s body are not a sure sign of a male fish. The females of many guppies are also quite colorful, so in addition to color, you will need to rely on a number of other physical characteristics to determine the sex of the fish. ^{[3] X Research Resources} You can look up guppies online to find out what kind of fish you have and to see the different colors and patterns on their tails. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Look for the pregnancy dot under the fish’s tail. When observing the body shape and color of the fish, you should look closely to see if the fish has pregnancy spots. The pregnancy dot is a dark dot on the belly, located near the tail, and only females have this spot. Male fish without pregnancy spots. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

During pregnancy and closer to the due date, the female guppies’ pregnancy spots become darker and larger. As the baby nears birth, you can even see the fry in the mother’s belly near the spot where the pregnancy dot is located. After giving birth, this spot on the mother’s belly will be lighter in color and will darken again when pregnant again.

Observe the fins of the fish

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Observe the shape of the fish’s dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is located on the back, about 5-7.5 cm from the head of the fish. Male fish have long dorsal fins and float in the water when swimming. Females have shorter dorsal fins and do not float in the water. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

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Check the shape of the fish’s caudal fin. The caudal fin, or tail, can help you determine the sex of the guppies. The male fish has a wide, long tail with colorful patterns and colorful patterns. Females have shorter tails, usually not as wide and long as the tails of males. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Note the length and shape of the anal fin. The anal fin of the guppies is a small fin located under the fish’s abdomen, just in front of the caudal fin. The anal fin of the male fish is usually long, narrow, and slightly pointed. The male fish uses this fin to insert sperm into the female. ^{[8] X Research Sources}^{[9] X Research Sources}

In contrast, the anal fin of the female is shorter and looks like a triangle. The female’s pregnant dot is located just above the anal fin.

Steps

Check the body shape and color of the fish

Observe the fins of the fish

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