Example- Venting with pictures

[MrsE88]

“Is my fish a male or female?”

Such a common question, we all want to know. Haha.

These aren’t the best quality, but hopefully they will help some see what to look for when venting their fish. And also the types of pictures that are necessary for others to help with venting.

I use a small shoebox size plastic tub filled with a couple inches of water. This allows me to keep the fish in water or just at the waters surface while photographing.
The cichlids I’m using are 3” green terrors.

Here we are looking at vents from the side.
The females is wide and blunt. A “U” shape.
The males is more slender and pointed. A “V” shape. You can also see that it kinda slants towards the back rather then straight down.


Here you see the anus is on top and the vent underneath it.
For females their vent is larger then their anus. (The pink arrow should be pointed down a bit more at the pink part. I just couldn’t get it right and gave up)
In small fish this can be harder to distinguish, but if you are venting a group this can still be helpful to compare them to one another.
For males the anus and vent will be about the same size.


I hope this is helpful

 

[Jexnell]

Here is a good male side shot

 

[MrsE88]

Here is a good male side shot
View attachment 1373449

That is good.
Everyone should chime in with their vent shots. I know when I was new to venting I googled a ton trying to see exactly what I was looking for. I feel it helps to see all different ones so telling them apart is easier.

 

[Jexnell]

Here is a female, see how it's thicker and more blunt on the end.

Think of it eggs actually pass thru this tube, so will be bigger where as the males just releases sperm.

 

[deeda]

Here is a link I've used for years and share with others on venting mainly Lake Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids Male or Female

 

[MrsE88]

Here is a link I've used for years and share with others on venting mainly Lake Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids Male or Female

That is a great site! I sure could have used that three years ago. Haha.

 

[Gourami Swami]

good idea for a thread, I think this will be helpful to lots of newer keepers & breeders MrsE88

 

[Jexnell]

TTT