Marine betta sexing???

[Haleyf1024]

Hello everyone! I just picked up my new marine betta from my LFS. He/she is pretty big, probably 5 inches or a little more. I know they are really difficult when it comes to sexing them, but does anyone know anything about it?

 

[eatbreakfast]

They are suspected of being protogynous hermaphrodites, so getting a much smaller one may result in a pr.

It has also been hypothesized that size and number of spots is related to gender, but is also related to size, so it may not be entirely accurate.

 

[Moort82]

It has also been hypothesized that size and number of spots is related to gender, but is also related to size, so it may not be entirely accurate.

Isn't that why they were believed to be two different species until fairly recently?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Isn't that why they were believed to be two different species until fairly recently?

^Exactly.

 

[OrionN]

There is no know dimorphic characteristic for MB. I tried to pair them. I did search on them and there is no clear mention of hermaphrodites. I do know that when I tried to pair two tiny ones, 2 inches each only, they fight and It took me 6 months before the fins of one healed well enough me me to take him back to the LFS.
I paired them by just trial and error. Took me three tries before I have to that do not fight. This is my second pair. I had a breeding pair in the past. It took me two tries for that pair.
It is unlikely that they are hermaphrodites since two small one did not pair up. I also had two young one, with one larger than the other that did not pair up either.

 

[OrionN]

Isn't that why they were believed to be two different species until fairly recently?

They are two related, but separate species, not dimorphic characteristic.

 

[Haleyf1024]

Thanks guys! I honestly was just curious so I could name him/her LOL. No pairing for me!