Mandarin dragonet gender

[shuo1981]

Please help me to identify this mandarin is male or female thanks

 

[smitten with ocean life]

im sorry but i dont think this is an emergency.
@Paul B is very knowlegable about these. not sure if he will have time to chime in or not

 

[exnisstech]

Male IMO notice the erection?

EDIT: serious female do not have that

 

[shuo1981]

Male IMO notice the erection?

EDIT: serious female do not have that

That’s what I thought too, but my lfs sold me as a female smh …

 

[exnisstech]

Do you already have a female? If not gender shouldn't be an issue.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Not an emergency! But I think a male!

 

[shuo1981]

I do have a male unfortunately, so I need to take him back to the store

Do you already have a female? If not gender shouldn't be an issue.

 

[shuo1981]

Not an emergency! But I think a male!

Sorry. My other male mandarin is chasing the new comer , so I thought that was considered as an emergency. Lol

 

[jaghorireefs&mma]

100% a male, dragonets/certain goby species are very easy to sex. Males have spiny dorsal fins, kinda like a needle. While females have rounded off dorsal fin like a circle, when they are as young as yours some places with less experienced aquarists may have difficulty sexing them. Rule of thumb is if you see a point on the dorsal fin its a male. I personally sex all the specimens we bring into the shop and the warehouse, so if you ever need help with one again feel free to reach out!


Regards,
Slade

 

[winxp_man]

Thats a female. Males have a super long front spine on the dorsal fin. And they will fight if you get two females or males. Mine were male and female. He got so excited when I got her for him haha.

 

[Paul B]

Looks like a young male. This is a female.



This is a male, but he doesn't have his dorsal fin up.



Another female


Both of them spawning. The male is on the left.

 

[winxp_man]

Looks like a young male. This is a female.



This is a male, but he doesn't have his dorsal fin up.



Another female


Both of them spawning. The male is on the left.

Males have a long spine! Unless it’s been broken off for some odd reason. No if’s and’s or but’s about it. A simple good search will suffice. Not tryin to be a male appendage. But facts are facts. Males have a long spine. I owned two for months. The females has the same dorsal fin except that spike. Unless we are talkin juvenile fish. But if they are over 2” they will have this distinction.

 

[twentyleagues]

Males have a long spine! Unless it’s been broken off for some odd reason. No if’s and’s or but’s about it. A simple good search will suffice. Not tryin to be a male appendage. But facts are facts. Males have a long spine. I owned two for months. The females has the same dorsal fin except that spike.

If its young the spine may not be formed yet. The dorsal fin is a different shape also if you notice female is more rounded and male with or without the spike will still have the point longer than the female. Its hard to notice the small difference at a young age as they look very similar. I am not 100% on this pic being correct either, that may be a young male labeled as female. Again its kind of hard to tell. I have also not really messed around with them in 15 years either.

@Paul B pic is a male and female.

 

[John Neuzil]

another example of abusing the emergency button