Choosing the right gourami: male or female

[connie]

I just passed on my old tank to my buddy and now he's all set to start breeding dwarf gourami. He's already got one, and I'm fairly certain it's a female, but I want to confirm before giving him the green light to get a mate - don't wanna have him bringing home the wrong one.

[fairylife]

No doubt about it, that's a female. The dorsal fin is a dead giveaway - rounded at the end, just like they're supposed to be. Males have that longer, pointed dorsal fin, I've added a pic of one for comparison. Gorgeous fish, by the way.

[connie]

Thanks for the confirmation and the pic of the male, really helpful.

[limer]

I'd actually say it's a male. I've noticed that female dwarf gouramis are significantly less vibrant in color. What's more, they're rarely found in pet stores, which means many people haven't had the chance to see one firsthand. As a result, folks often misidentify the sex based on fin length alone, assuming the one with shorter fins is female when, in fact, it's actually a male.

[sidthy]

I'd say it's a young male. The red stripes are a giveaway, females don't have those, regardless of their color variety. Also, its body shape is classic male.