i need an expert opinion on parrot fish..

[kendrew]

ok so, first off can anyone tell me how to sex 2-3" parrot fish???? i need a few females....i have done ok with sexing my blood parrots but they are hard to find now in my area....i have been to the LFS and saw paler parrots with less bulky bodies but they all seem to have pointed fins. i sexed my current parrots by fins alone.
is there a nother way to definately ID a female??? i am unable to handle the fish so is there a way just by seeing them in the tank????

 

[bxman89]

it think the head shape of the female is more round then the male and the male has a pointy head im not sure if thats right but if im wrong someone correct me im pretty sure im right

 

[terminalMTS]

females are U shaped. males are V shaped

 

[bxman89]

so im right yes lol

 

[Druu]

so im right yes lol

No, terminalMTS was referring to the vents on the BPs.

 

[bxman89]

lol the head on female and male are the different right?

 

[ofish14]

The end of the top fin on females are rounded. The males top fin ends in a point.

 

[snailmaster]

buy a few and see who lays eggs. easy way but then you might have some males you dont want

 

[fishfreak317]

The end of the top fin on females are rounded. The males top fin ends in a point.

this is not accurate at all...

ALL of my females have very pointed fins.

i've had good success when picking very young ones out by NOT buying any that have the incredible head notch. the ones that are more slanted i've found to be more female.

however i've have seen some very notchy females in other friends tanks.

 

[wiseman82]

In most parrots its reaaly easy to tell by looking at the breeding tube, males are shorter and more pointed, females breeding tube is larger and more tube-like, I've had great success useing this method without taking the fish out of the tank to vent them It seems that Parrots breeding tubes are very visible even when not breeding and at a small size, although the bigger the fish is the easier it is to see.