Betta Gender
Obvious Differences Between Males And Females
The biggest difference that will help you decide male or female is the way your betta flares. When a male flares he will have a large extra membrane appear forming a beard like presence around his whole chin. Females DO NOT have this membrane. Just because your female flares at other fish or even her own reflection it does not mean that she is actually a he.
Some females are just naturally very aggressive.
By Flaring:
Male Beard Flaring Above
Female Flaring Above
FlaringBoth male and female bettas flare, both at their own sex and at the opposite sex when they can see them through their container. The fact that your betta flares is therefore no guarantee that it is male.
There are some subtle differences in the manner of flaring between male and female bettas though. Male bettas often (but not always) turn sideways onto an opponent and cross their ventral fins. Female bettas often, after a while, flare at male bettas in a submissive, head-down posture. They are unlikely to do this straight away, so patience is called for if you intend to use this as a component of sexing your betta.
BETTA BEARD:
Males usually have more of a 'Betta beard', which is really a membrane that is located underneath their gill covers, and is properly named the branchiostegal membrane. This 'beard' sticks out when flaring. However, females also have this membrane, although it is usually smaller.
Looking at the rest of the body there will be one other large difference between males and females, even in plakats. The males almost always (90% of the time) have much longer and fuller ventral fins then the females do.
-Here is a male plakat(Bottom Left), notice the long think ventrals, and you can even see his large gill membrane tucked in even when hes not flaring.
-A plakat female, notice the short thin ventrals, the lack of any kind of large gill membrane.
3rd:
Ovipositor
Egg Spot
Mature females will display an “egg spot” between the ventral and anal fins. This is actually the ovipositor, which is used to lay the eggs. Males will rarely show an egg spot.
Males usually have more of a 'Betta beard', which is really a membrane that is located underneath their gill covers, and is properly named the branchiostegal membrane. This 'beard' sticks out when flaring. However, females also have this membrane, although it is usually smaller.
2nd:
Male vs. Female Body TypeLooking at the rest of the body there will be one other large difference between males and females, even in plakats. The males almost always (90% of the time) have much longer and fuller ventral fins then the females do.
-Here is a male plakat(Bottom Left), notice the long think ventrals, and you can even see his large gill membrane tucked in even when hes not flaring.
Male Body(Left) Female Body(Right)
-A plakat female, notice the short thin ventrals, the lack of any kind of large gill membrane.
3rd:
Ovipositor
Egg Spot
Mature females will display an “egg spot” between the ventral and anal fins. This is actually the ovipositor, which is used to lay the eggs. Males will rarely show an egg spot.
It is a common misconception that the presence of an ovipositor (the white speck between a fishes ventral fins) is evidence that it is a female. Unfortunately, life is not that simple. Numerous males display the ovipositor, so much so that in IBC shows it is a disqualifying characteristic in a male.
So, if your betta has an ovipositor, it might be a female. But if it also has long fins it is probably a male. Even
if it has short fins and an ovipositor it may be a plakat male.
4th:
EGG SAC
- This is the most trustworthy method as it involves the spotting of their sexual organ. However, it is not easy to spot the egg sac for beginners.
- After a betta's head, you can see a black, round organ. And that, is the stomach of the betta. Connecting right after that, if you are able to spot a triangular whitish organ which swells at the beginning and decreases in size towards the tail, that betta is a female. Yes, that organ is the egg sac. For males, anywhere after the stomach should seem bare.
- For bettas that have opaque scalings, the contours of the body are to be observed for the detection of the egg sac.
5th:
FINNAGE
Male Bettas generally have longer fins, while females have shorter finnage. Although, this isn't always true, as some males (such as the plakat) do have short fins, while some females can have really long finnage.
Plakat Male Above
Female Above
Notice the VENTRALS?
Males generally have longer ventral fins (the two long 'dangly' fins in front of the Bettas vent(Infront Stomach fins)). So if you have a short finned Betta (such as a Plakat), and notice it has very long ventrals, most likely it will be a male.
So, if your betta has an ovipositor, it might be a female. But if it also has long fins it is probably a male. Even
if it has short fins and an ovipositor it may be a plakat male.4th:
EGG SAC
- This is the most trustworthy method as it involves the spotting of their sexual organ. However, it is not easy to spot the egg sac for beginners.
- After a betta's head, you can see a black, round organ. And that, is the stomach of the betta. Connecting right after that, if you are able to spot a triangular whitish organ which swells at the beginning and decreases in size towards the tail, that betta is a female. Yes, that organ is the egg sac. For males, anywhere after the stomach should seem bare.
- For bettas that have opaque scalings, the contours of the body are to be observed for the detection of the egg sac.
FINNAGE
Male Bettas generally have longer fins, while females have shorter finnage. Although, this isn't always true, as some males (such as the plakat) do have short fins, while some females can have really long finnage.
Plakat Male Above
Notice the VENTRALS?
Males generally have longer ventral fins (the two long 'dangly' fins in front of the Bettas vent(Infront Stomach fins)). So if you have a short finned Betta (such as a Plakat), and notice it has very long ventrals, most likely it will be a male.
6th:
Bubblenesting(Not True)
Another common misconception is that only males build a bubble nest. This is not true. Females build bubble nests too. In fact many have been witnessed to create a bubble nest, drop a load of eggs, place the eggs in the nest and tend to them, before they are eventually eaten!
*Some Betta Breeders encountered a few females blow themselves nests (and they had spawned producing eggs, so they were definitely females).*
Lastly:
Wait for the fish to grow. Determining the gender of young fish can be very difficult, but once the males reach adulthood they become very distinct from the females, and you should easily be able to identify them by the above 1-6th tell-tale signs. As they grow, males will tend to display more aggressive tendencies, while most females will live peacefully with their siblings (provided they have been together since birth).
Bubblenesting(Not True)
Another common misconception is that only males build a bubble nest. This is not true. Females build bubble nests too. In fact many have been witnessed to create a bubble nest, drop a load of eggs, place the eggs in the nest and tend to them, before they are eventually eaten!
*Some Betta Breeders encountered a few females blow themselves nests (and they had spawned producing eggs, so they were definitely females).*
Lastly:
Wait for the fish to grow. Determining the gender of young fish can be very difficult, but once the males reach adulthood they become very distinct from the females, and you should easily be able to identify them by the above 1-6th tell-tale signs. As they grow, males will tend to display more aggressive tendencies, while most females will live peacefully with their siblings (provided they have been together since birth).
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