Determining the gender of betta fish

 

Perhaps you have visited your local let shop but are confused about whether the fish you are looking at is a male of female unless a female betta for sale is mentioned anywhere.

The following article presents some characteristics that differentiate a male from a female betta, so you can have more than one contrasting trait to figure out who is who!

Colors: Vibrant or dull

Most of the time, male betta has a more vibrant and lively color than its female counterpart. But differentiating them based on just colors does not give a definite answer, as female betta can be brightly colored too.

Vertical body stripes

When finding out their gender, have a keen look at when the breeding process is about to begin. A female betta exhibits vertical stripes on her body when ready to mate. At the same time, male betta does not show this feature.

Fins: Long or short

Typically, a male betta has fins two to three times the length of female betta fins. They are long and lavish looking, making it easy to differentiate. A male betta's tail or caudal fin is mostly shorter than a female betta's. But to confuse things, it can be vice versa.

Body shapes: Short or elongated

A female betta fish generally has a short but wide-body, while its male counterpart is long and elongated with a flatter side-to-side body. A short body with short fins means female betta. And long body with long and large fins denotes a male betta fish.

Egg spot

The female betta has an ovipositor at the bottom of her body, between the fins and tail. An ovipositor is a tube through which eggs are laid. Remember, a juvenile female betta does not have an egg spot yet, and it takes up to 4 weeks to develop one.

A point worth considering is sometimes, male betta forms a false egg spot to protect itself from another male betta. So, consider other characteristics, along with the presence of egg spots, when determining gender.

Beard: Large or small

Betta fish has a membrane below the gills, called an opercular membrane, protecting the underlying gills. This membrane is considered beard and is visible when the betta flares the gill plates. Though it is visible in male betta when gill plates are not even extended, the beard of female betta is not visible otherwise.

Bubble nests

When breeding, male betta blows bubbles and forms bubble nests for the eggs on the water's surface. The eggs are hatched in the nest within 48 hours. This feature is pervasive in male betta, even if no mate is present in the tank. Rarely, female betta also forms these nests.

Final thoughts

Now you have understood the contrasting traits between male and female betta, which will help you when considering whether to buy buy beta ia ok. Some attributes may be present in both genders, so going through all the characteristics is a plus point when determining their gender.