Sexing a mandarin?

[ClarkiiCircus]

So, before I go off and spend lots of money on (another) fish I don't particularly need, I was wondering if anyone had experience sexing mandarins. I know the target mandarins tend to be less sexually dimorphic (ie, the male and female traits differ less) than in the green and reds, but the "tell tale" is the higher crest on the frontal dorsal fin. However, it is much less evident in targets.

Here is a picture of cricket, my current mandarin. I'm leaning towards male? Do yall agree, disagree, etc? Much thanks. I know the males fight so I want to be sure of the sex before I order.

PS, sorry for the ridiculously low picture quality... camera phone + zooming dragonet= uber low quality.

[mFrame]

It's a male. You can tell by the spike at the front of the dorsal fin, females don't have them (on both target and psychadelic mandarins). Pretty fish, and he's fat! Keep him that way and he'll soon be your favorite.

[ClarkiiCircus]

Much thanks. The crest is REALLY small in real life, so I honestly wasn't sure. I had never seen a female so I didn't know if this was a large enough crest to qualify as large... if that makes any sense

[wizardx322]

sorry but i dont think yours is a male , i think it is a female but also depending on how young it is may also be too early to tell but from your pic it looks like my female spotted i used to have

my male spotted had a much more longer front fin then the female did and i had 3 spotted mandarins in my 90 gal when i had it. 2 females and 1 male

[+o0zarkawater]

I'll try to get a good pic of my male tomorrow for you.

I think that may be male, but mines front dorsal fin is much larger in relation to the other fins.

I bought a female for him once he had been established for about a year and he beat the crap out of her and eventually fed her to the anemone. I got a cool pic out of it, but it was an expensive nem snack.

[ClarkiiCircus]

That's what I'm worried about. I don't know that the crest of mine is actually a full, male crest.

[ClarkiiCircus]

I'll try to get a good pic of my male tomorrow for you.

I think that may be male, but mines front dorsal fin is much larger in relation to the other fins.

I bought a female for him once he had been established for about a year and he beat the crap out of her and eventually fed her to the anemone. I got a cool pic out of it, but it was an expensive nem snack.

Thanks a lot, it would be helpful. Did your mandarin get along fine with everything else? I just have mine in a tank with 1 oscellaris clown, and he has only been there for about 3 months. Do you think he is still "unestablished" enough where I could add a female?

[victoly]

How do you sex a mandarin? Very carefully.....

[mFrame]

It's a male. You can tell by the spike at the front of the dorsal fin, females don't have them (on both target and psychadelic mandarins). Pretty fish, and he's fat! Keep him that way and he'll soon be your favorite.

The females I have had did not have a crest at all on their dorsal fin. Here's a pic of an obvious male:

Take a look at the male and female in this post about breeding and you'll see the distinct difference:

http://www.marinebre...opic.php?t=1429

[Scutterborn]

Manny, my male red mandarin. Very prominent crest.

[ClarkiiCircus]

Thanks for the article mframe. It was really helpful since it actually showed targets! I know how to sex the greens and reds because they're very obvious as to which is a male to due the larger degree of sexual dimorphism. The targets are far less so. The article was perfect. Mine may be just touch too young to tell...

[+o0zarkawater]

Here is my boy?

I guess I thought his dorsal was much larger than it is, especially after looking at that thread Mike posted.

And the female I tried, hanging out in the anemone.

http://imageshack.us...09/img2047q.jpg

[Bannerfish]

if you don't mind my asking, where will you be ordering yours from?

[mFrame]

Here is my boy?

I guess I thought his dorsal was much larger than it is, especially after looking at that thread Mike posted.

And the female I tried, hanging out in the anemone.

http://imageshack.us...09/img2047q.jpg

Wow, I love the red on Pretty Boy. As for the female, I've never seen a mandarin in an anemone! Does she do that often?

[+o0zarkawater]

Here is my boy?

I guess I thought his dorsal was much larger than it is, especially after looking at that thread Mike posted.

And the female I tried, hanging out in the anemone.

http://imageshack.us...09/img2047q.jpg

Wow, I love the red on Pretty Boy. As for the female, I've never seen a mandarin in an anemone! Does she do that often?

Nope, just that once. Haven't seen her since.