Male or Female Spotted Mandarin

[honcho]

Hello, I have had my spotted mandarin for abut 4 months now and am trying to figure out if it is a male or female. I understand the spotted mandarins dont have as prenounced fin as the other mandarins so I am just not sure. This one eats pellets, frozen brine and mysis and have been very happy with it so far. I have been kicking around the idea of getting another mandarin and a store in my area has a very nice male, a green mandarin, which I am still debating with myself whether I want to "risk" confict with 2 in the same tank and if mine is a male, well that would make the decision easy for me then since 2 males wont work out at all. I think mine is a female.

tank is 150 gallons with about 200 pounds live rock and been running for 18 months now. Am very aware of the feeding requirements.

 

[aquaph8]

Female, males have a spike on there fin.

 

[snorvich]

Female, males have a spike on there fin.

That is correct. But I cannot tell from the pictures.

 

[gcsoupman]

Where is the spike on the fins? I have a couple mandarins and can't see any difference in them as far as fins go.

 

[falconut]

Agree, it looks female. But the photos aren't that clear.

The spike should be on the front of the doral fin.

 

[moogoomoogoo]

agreed. female. no dorsal spike

 

[small alien]

Spike is much more prominant in greens than spotteds.

 

[snorvich]

Spike is much more prominant in greens than spotteds.

That also is correct. Less obvious on spotted, but still "spikey" or sharp.

 

[honcho]

Thanks for the opinions. I think its a female also but I cant ever remember seeing a spotted mandarin with a spike but the stores around here get very few in, the greens seem to be so much more popular.
Still on the fence about adding a second mandarin, wasnt initially planning on it but the male "green" one I saw was very large, stomach not shrunk in yet, he is about twice the size of my spotted mandarin, given the size differential I dont think it would be much of a fight if there were aggression between the two and of course there are the other details of hoping I can get the male to eat other foods etc before I even get him into my display tank. Sure is a pretty fish though.

 

[gcsoupman]

Can you have several mandarins in a tank? Will they fight if they are the same sex?

 

[snorvich]

Can you have several mandarins in a tank? Will they fight if they are the same sex?

Two males will fight to the death.

 

[small alien]

I had a male spotted with a male scooter with no problems but that's a bit different. Two males of the same species would almost surely be a problem.

 

[Mike31154]

I made an error in misidentifying my second mandarin as a female. Turns out it was a male after I put it in. Should have been more thorough in observing at the LFS but it was a juvenile and thought I had it right. In any case, after I put it in with my much larger resident I discovered my error. Unable to catch either one so they've been together (two males) in my 77 for at least a year. The newcomer tends to know when to get out of Dodge and other than the odd skirmish, they stay out of each other's way. Not saying what I did or am doing is right, but it shows it is possible. I really need to find a way to catch either one of the dudes.

 

[gcsoupman]

Thanks for the advice. I will have to be very careful with my purchases of mandarins.

 

[blackbeltmom]

I have a male spotted and a male green/blue. They have been togeter for about two years. They ignore each other.