10/4/99

Question:
I have noticed my goldfish breeding, given the right circumstances, and have been able to sort out a known female and male, just by behavior. This spring the over abundance of males, pushed the girl out to her death. I need to know how to sex the fish as the school needs to be thinned and I can select a new breeding pair.

To tell the difference between the male and the female Koi or Goldfish you will look down on on them, below the end of the dorsal fin. The area of the fish you are looking at is just before its vent (butt), looking from the top. Generally the males are thinner in this area and the females are wider. The bigger the fish the easier it is to tell the difference. Catching them in the act is a sure way to tell because they know; and we are taking an educated guess.

Thanks and I hope that this was helpful.