# Sexing angels



## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

I am planning on getting a pair of black angelfish. I only want a pair. I heard that in order to get a pair you must get a groups. Is this true. Is there a way that you can get only a pair of these angels?

Thanks in advance


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

People who keep angels can sex them. Females are fatter, males have pointier fins and sometimes more gold on the head. But its really subtle and its useless if the angels aren't alike. What distinguishes brother and sister is less than what distinguishes two unrelated individuals. Until they stick out thier breeding tubes, then you can tell. Females have a fat, blunt tube for egg laying, males have skinner pointy, tube. Its ofen cheaper to buy 4-6 little ones and grow them up than to buy a pair of sexable adults. Angels grow fast and, unlike many ciclids, its never hard to find a home for adult angels.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

Does this apply with the black angels in particular? That is the type i am planning on getting.

Thanks in advance


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

All angels have the same shape breeding tubes. Blacks are prob. harder to sex because any color variation won't be visible.


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

Pertains to all angels. There is a very suttle slant angle to the lower body. And males will develop a larger forehead with age, But both take a very experienced eye. I have found over the 40 years I have bred angels, that fin shape & color have nothing to do with it. The only sure way is seeing the breeding tubes or actually seeing them spawn.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

My mother can tell, but only her own lines. The males get darker and higher foreheads, but other lines may not have the same characteristics. So unless you are getting them from a breeder, you may be better off getting little ones and letting them sex themselves.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

I read somewhere that if you get 2 female angels then they will breed. If this is true, then i have a better chance of getting a breeding pair than not, right?

Thanks in advance


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Sometimes 2 females will take turns laying eggs. But they won't be fertile.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

there is only 1 100% sure way to sex angels..and to do that you have to disect them.the next best way is to wait and watch them spawn....as was stated before;the female will have a thicker,more blunt tube and the male will have a thinner,more pointed tube.
i have had dozens of people tell me that they could easily sex angels.i don't believe any of them.i have had many time had 2 females spawn.sometimes they would take turns.one would spawn and then the other 4 days later..or sometimes they would both lay eggs at the same time..i fixed that by putting a big male in with them..that made for huge batches of babies.


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