How to distinguish a female from a male scalar in an aquarium?

Few know how to distinguish a female from a malescaly in the aquarium, although in fact it can be done very simply. It is important to be able to distinguish between the sex of fish, because without this it is impossible to properly plant and keep them in the aquarium.

What is the difference between females and males?

Like many other fish species, in this familyThere are also representatives of both sexes, who have their own characteristics. When breeding fish it is worth considering the fact that the female and male scales are insignificant until they grow to about 9-10 months. Only after this it becomes apparent that the male dorsal fin is much more developed than in females. In addition, much more strips are seen on the posterior part of the fin.

The difference between the female and the male of the scalar is also in the frontal part of the head, since in the male it is convex, and the female, on the contrary, is concave.

Determining the sex of the scalar

Many owners of aquarium fish are askedthe question of how to distinguish a female from a male scalar, as this is very important for breeding them. The definition of sex for a beginner at first is not such a simple task, because, in the absence of experience and attention, it is almost impossible to establish their gender identity. A seasoned aquarist will cope with the task without difficulty.

It is very difficult to do this if the fish have not yet reached their sexual maturity. However, in both sexes there are certain features on which it is possible to determine their gender identity.

Features of the reproductive organs of fish

Enough attractive and unusualinhabitants of the aquarium are the fish of the scalar. How to distinguish a female from a male, absolutely every owner of these amazing creatures should know. It is necessary to wait until the individuals grow up a little and reach puberty, since after that they need a certain care.

To determine what kind of scalar male, and what -female, you need to examine their genitals. As soon as the fish becomes an adult, a small tube starts to appear near the anus: the female has the ovipositor, and the male has the seminal duct. The genitals are located behind the ventral paired fins, and they become more prominent during spawning. To better examine the genital organs of a fish, it is necessary to transplant it into a separate aquarium.

Determine the sex of fish is possible andon the form of genitals. In males, the vas deferens have the form of a pointed, narrow tube that looks like the tip of a pencil. The female ovipositor has a cylindrical and more rounded shape.

Differences in body shape

If you are concerned with the question of how to distinguish a female frommale scalar, then you need to inspect the body of the fish. It is necessary to pay attention to a protruding outgrowth on the forehead of males. This makes his forehead noticeably larger and more expressive. The adipose growth becomes more noticeable in adult individuals, however the first signs become noticeable already at an early stage of development.

In addition, it is very important to pay attention tosmaller size and much more rounded body shapes in females. If you need to purchase several pairs of fish for further breeding, it is important to pick a pair of small and a couple of large individuals.

Differences in the behavior of the sexes

Many are wondering how to distinguish a female frommale skalarii, based on the behavior of fish. During the breeding season, scalars, which mostly lead a gregarious lifestyle, choose only one partner for themselves and create couples. Identify the already formed "family" can even beginner. The couple keeps separate and looks for the most suitable place for throwing eggs.

By their nature these amazing aquariumssingle-fish. The loss of a partner as a result of separation from it or death is a tremendous stress for the fish, which they often can not survive. Scalarians can injure themselves by hitting the walls of the aquarium or objects located in it, which leads to their death. That's why you can select partners for fish, but do not destroy the already formed pairs.

Determination of sex during spawning

To pinpoint the genderscalars during spawning, it is necessary to set a group of several sexually mature individuals in a separate aquarium. When purchasing fish, it is best to buy 4-6 young specimens at once and settle them together. However, you need to select a large enough aquarium, so that the scalars feel comfortable. Selecting fish, it is desirable to acquire several smaller and larger individuals, as this will increase the likelihood of acquiring scalars of different sex, and hence the subsequent formation of spawning pairs.

To determine the sex of fish, you need to followbehavior of the spawning individuals. When they reach puberty, they will start forming pairs on their own, to then spawn. Since that time, you need to closely monitor the behavior of fish, as this will not only determine their gender identity, but also to understand exactly how they are distributed into pairs.

However, it must be remembered that individuals of the same sex alsocan form couples, naturally, they will not have offspring. Sometimes the spawning couples show signs of attention that can be affectionate and touching or somewhat aggressive.

With close observation, you can see that the female is spawning, but it will take a long time to hold the aquarium, so as not to miss the moment.

It is worth noting that the older the scalar becomes, the easier it is to determine its sex, since at a more mature age the sexual organs descend lower, which makes it possible to examine them well.

The spawning process

Often scalars begin to lay eggs inin the afternoon, towards evening. The entire spawning process takes quite a bit of time and lasts about 1.5 hours. At this time, the female is almost closely pressed to the surface of the aquarium and eggs in regular rows. The male at the same time repeats all the movements of his partner and thereby fertilizes the eggs. It is important to know when spawning a scalar, how to distinguish a female from a male. Photo of fish will allow a closer look at gender differences.

Given the rapid collection and transfer of eggs inAnother vessel of the scalar can spawn every 2 weeks. They can do this in a common aquarium, but it is important to provide them with a separate free space for successful rearing of offspring. It is necessary to do this in order to preserve the clutch from encroachment by other inhabitants of the aquarium, as there is no guarantee that the spawning couple will be able to provide the required clay protection. In addition, if the larvae and fry live in a common aquarium, then it will be almost impossible to keep them.

To avoid infection of various kinds of frydiseases in the water need to add certain drugs that will help destroy all fungi and bacteria. It is important to remember that caviar needs constant access to oxygen, which is why it should be placed a short distance from the aerator, but in such a way that air bubbles do not fall on it.

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