# I think My HM yellow Plakat is NOT a female....



## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

I got this fish as an add on from the breeder who said it was a HM yellow plakat female. Today, there is a huge bubble nest in my sorority tank. Since all the other females are visibly full of eggs, this fish is my suspect. Can you please help me confirm the gender? I q=would also like to know if this fish is breedable and if so to what? I have nothing else like him. I have a copper/red HM female, a steel and cherry red hm female, a salamander female and a lavender hm female. My other males are copper red with black edges and royal blue and red with black edges. All the girls have different color edges, either white or another body color except the copper and red.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Looks female to me but can you get a picture where either he/she is flaring and/or a pic with a light behind it so that it's shining at you and the camera so we can see through to confirm those are ovaries that I might be seeing.


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## zackcrack00 (Oct 16, 2011)

Does he/she have an egg tube (optivisor)?


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

zackcrack00 said:


> Does he/she have an egg tube (optivisor)?


unfortunately that's not a reliable way to tell male or female. Young male Betta's will also sometimes have false egg spots or imitator ovipositors to try to throw off other fish. Many times males will keep these after maturity and sometimes they won't. So yeah...not a good way to tell sexes. You have to look for the ovaries which are triangular objects behind the stomach and sometimes it can be hard.


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## Taboo (Jun 28, 2013)

it's not unheard of for girls to blow bubble nests too. I've even heard stories of girls attempting to raise their own spawns!


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

I vote male, any flaring pics?


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## Bailmint (Jun 15, 2013)

I vote male, but I'd like to see a few more pictures.


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## alyssaanne (Aug 10, 2013)

Whatever the gender he she is beautiful!


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

*Dang Fish are hard to photograph!*

Okay, I have tried to get better pictures. He/She flared at another male, but mostly ignored the other female, did some body bumping, but I think the steel and red female started showing stripes... I can deal with either gender, I just need to know so I can set up ANOTHER male tank. It is a gorgeous fish. I do not know much about plakats or yellow except it is determined by lots of genes, and have no idea what is a good choice for a potential mate, male or female. I also do not know how old he is/she is. I think he/she was pretty young when I got him: 









I I can not see an egg spot?








There is one of the female tankmate with him in my large vase









I tried to get light begind him/her









Unhappy fish









Are those breeding stripes?









This is her original photo off aquabid. She is my favorite. (Don't tell the others.)









I still don't see an egg spot and he/she says I am overstepping my bounds.










That is Flamenco outside the vase who recently lost his entire spawn from my ignorance. They seem to be flaring? 

Thank you guys for being patient. As always, the help is appreciated.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

Looks like a boy to me. And yep your red female has breeding stripes and is looking pretty full with eggs :-D
If I was going to breed him Id use a red or yellow fish with little to no irids, could also find a girl with a sharper tail and a smoother topline to compensate his, but I think hes a good fish to breed


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

Here the two are when I first out them together. It's an awful blurry picture, but I think the stripes were not there initially. I am really leaning towards male.


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## Aluka (Dec 25, 2012)

Yea i vote male. Females are usually rounder in the front, he is not.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

It looks male to me, too.


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

I say, male.


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## BettaBoy51 (Nov 13, 2013)

My vote is on male


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

Thank you everyone. Moonshine says "Of course I'm a boy! Now, tell me how beautiful I am!" 

Here is his latest bubble nest in his new 5.5 gallon tank. I have four fish tanks in my bedroom and there are two in mt son's room. Is this normal? O.O


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Nice nest!! lol


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## bethyMT (Nov 24, 2012)

It's amazing how much we can agonize over genders on these fish and then, once we finally make a decision, they are like "duh! Why didn't you notice?" and start acting completely male/female true to form. 

I personally wouldn't be able to tell boy or girl on yours, but the breeding stripes on the tankmate female are a dead giveaway! Is this fish very young? Knowing he's a male, he looks like a skinny young dude.

Happy and successful breeding to you!


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

I am not sure, but he was super small when I got him. The breeder I got 4 of my females from was replacing a DOA fish. It was his first DOA and he felt really bad. I almost left this poor guy in the shipping box as I shrieked with excitement and grabbed the bag with my copper and red female. I went back to get the box and this little yellow fish was there with a note apologizing for the DOA and saying he was giving me his first yellow HM plakat female. I do think he was very young, He was in my sorority tank for over a month. I thought he was so dainty, He is super fast, chased the girls all over. No wonder!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

He sounds like he has a cute personality.


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

He does! I will look for a mate for him when I am more experienced. I have fry hanging down from the bubbles of my spawn. I'll post pics in the spawn thread.


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

*Moonshine*

He is so pretty!

This is with camera flash:










Same view in normal light :










He is eying that "other" fish










All flared:










He's doing really well. The breeder said he must have been a late bloomer


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

oops


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I love yellow bettas.


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## hmburkle (Oct 16, 2013)

I didn't know I did, but I do now. I am going to get a female from Robert Totman when he has one available.
Moonshine is adorable.


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