# Sticky  gender of your betta Splendens



## Fishy friend2

With all of these questions "is this really a male?" I thought I would make a little guide.


*differences*

*Fin size*
- Usually Male Bettas have longer fins. This isn't always true though As Plakat Bettas have shorter fins that some females I've seen. so dont take this as an immediate indication if you have a male or female. 



















*Flaring*
- Male Betta Splendens have whats called a beard by there gills. it sticks out when they flare. it can be dark, clear, or sometimes red. females can flare as well but don't have such a large beard. you can clearly see the beard in the betta in the picture below










*Ventrals*
- Usually male Betta Splendens have longer ventral fins. The pointy fin under the gill area. females typically have shorter ventral fins. though you cant use this an an indication as sometimes bettas have missing ventral fins, its uncommon but it happens


















*Opivoster*
- female bettas have whats called an opivoster. it is a small white dot in between the ventral and anal fins. Sometimes juvenile males will have this small white dot as well. but if a betta doesn't have an opivoster, it's a male Betta Splendens.


----------



## Betta man

Good job. Males do have ovipositors. All my males do. In my experience, the anal fin is the most accurate way. Males have longer anal fins usually, but some females have long anal fins. That's usually the best way to sex plakats, but other tailtypes are sometimes different. Plakats are usually much harder to sex as they are short finned bettas. That is why, you can sometimes buy a "veiltail female" and it's really a plakat male.Females often have large beards as many have stated on another forum. Good job! Are you going to do tailtypes or is that left for me?


----------



## Fishy friend2

Betta man said:


> Good job. Males do have ovipositors. All my males do. In my experience, the anal fin is the most accurate way. Males have longer anal fins usually, but some females have long anal fins. That's usually the best way to sex plakats, but other tailtypes are sometimes different. Plakats are usually much harder to sex as they are short finned bettas. That is why, you can sometimes buy a "veiltail female" and it's really a plakat male.Females often have large beards as many have stated on another forum. Good job! Are you going to do tailtypes or is that left for me?


hmm. only my young males have had opivosters. I dont usually use the anal fin as a way to tell the gender. vieltail females often have long pointy anal fins. hmm. ive only ever heard of one male that has had a permanent opivoster, and one female that has had a large beard


----------



## Fishy friend2

Betta man said:


> Good job. Males do have ovipositors. All my males do. In my experience, the anal fin is the most accurate way. Males have longer anal fins usually, but some females have long anal fins. That's usually the best way to sex plakats, but other tailtypes are sometimes different. Plakats are usually much harder to sex as they are short finned bettas. That is why, you can sometimes buy a "veiltail female" and it's really a plakat male.Females often have large beards as many have stated on another forum. Good job! Are you going to do tailtypes or is that left for me?


Hi. Males don't have opivosters. Here's something I quoted from Kayla Kerr Griffin. 

'Kayla Kerr Griffin' If the male is over fed and basically fat, it looks like an egg tube. It is just that a male does not have ovaries therefore doesn't have the egg tube or ovipositor leading from the ovaries to deposit eggs. If a male is so overfed that his cloaca appears to be an ovipositor he will be disqualified in a show for appearing female


----------



## Betta man

I didn't know it was called that, but I don't think it's overfeeding.


----------



## Fishy friend2

I kinda agree wit her. I took a male out of spawning that I had for a while. I never noticed the little spot But I overfed him after spawning/raising the fry. And then I notice the spot


----------

