Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Janet, my version of the love shack is working. I have one male and 1 female in a separate tank. Today I was looking around and saw what looked like foating debris and it turned out to be lots of little fry. Will let her have one more batch and then let the parents go back in with the others or maybe I will just let others have them.

congratulations Dad!

So I'm still limping along on spare heaters, and the weather turned bitter cold. I just used up most of my bubble wrap putting an extra layer around my fish tank and 2 of 3 grow beds. For aesthetics I'm still leaving the fronts of the tanks bare. I also reworked the lid openings to cover better with bubble wrap flaps.

I was taking pictures per request, and noticed a fatality. While not optimal at 72F degrees overnight, the temperature should be OK. No signs of disease or injury. I guess I'll just figure it had a heart condition. On the bright side, I got to weigh it with no struggle. It was a medium large fish, and weighed in at 20 grams. Not too bad for being 2 grams only 5 weeks ago. This is also right in line with the growth charts I've seen for young tilapia. I also got a chance to inspect the private parts, again with no struggle. I can now clearly see the anus and the beginnings of the papilla where the important stuff is. I still can't tell a thing. 20 grams is on the small side of the size that one is supposed to be able to sex these fishies. Maybe if I knew what I was doing...

More pics

Hi Janet:
Did you try using food coloring to highlight the naughty bits?

It all looks great Janet. I wish my plants looked like yours.

I did use food coloring! That's how I decided that I didn't have a mutant fish with 1 anus and 2 side-by-side extra openings!

The papilla looked like it has to descend yet. It's kinda tucked up inside a bit. ( omg, I am poking at a fish's naughty bits. What am I doing? Don't tell the husband.)

DT, any chance of a close-up pic of your fishies' naughty bits?!?!? Does the papilla descend, and then you can sex them after that?

One way I do it is to grab two. If one lookes different from the other, I have one of each!

Next time I sex some, I will get some pics for you. Did you try the gras trick?

Janet, what is truly sick is that you were playing with a DEAD fish's naughty! That should get the hubby concerned.

OK DT, How is it that they look different? I've seen the drawn diagrams, but they just don't really tell me what I am looking for.

I didn't try the grass trick yet.

No snow at your place Janet. The yard outside looks dry and brittle (kinda like our winters, but about 30o colder )

The grow beds look great

Oh and stop playing with that poor dead fish

I can usually tell by the lipstick or the ponytails. No, really a female will look like it has three openings to the males two. Depending on the fish's size, this will be more apparent. Also, a male will have a more pronounced front opening and the female the back one is more pronounced. Like I said, I will take pics when I catch some again.

OK, I'm going to claim that it was a male that died. No pony tail, lipstick or mascara. Two openings, front one more pronounced. I think I recall a blurry pic that Michael F posted. You could see a distinct mark, but at the time, I wasn't impressed. Maybe it's time to go a-hunting for that.

Very impressive, for a refresh how many inches of fish in how many gallons and whats your nitrates reading please? pretty please?