# Can't figure out if my australian rainbow is male or female



## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

I can't give you any specifics, but as a general rule males of any fish will be smaller and more brightly colored, while the females are large and more subtly colored (as you said). I would also say that there is a very real possibility that the juvenile body shape would be different (and more stream-lined) than the adult body shape. I don't know anything about rainbows specifically.

So . . . I didn't give you much real information, but I'm agreeing with your guesses.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

I think it is still a bit to young to sex. With rainbow fish the ones that are larger, have a higher back, and more brightly colored are going to be males. The females are going to be a bit smaller, more of a round belly, duller color and have a low sloped back instead of the typical high "hunch back" of the males. You might have to wait a bit to find out the sex. Rainbow fish take a bit of time to color up and start showing their form.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

It can be hard to tell also b/c sometimes only the dominant males will really color up and form the nuchal humps.

I'd just go ahead and get a school and try to pick out more females than males if possible... how big is your tank?


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## NJAquaBarren (Sep 16, 2009)

If it jumps out of the tank,it was a male. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## catfat (Aug 28, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> It can be hard to tell also b/c sometimes only the dominant males will really color up and form the nuchal humps.
> 
> I'd just go ahead and get a school and try to pick out more females than males if possible... how big is your tank?


its 60 gallons


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