- 1). Check their eyes. Male angelfish usually have redder eyes than females.
- 2). Compare angelfish of the same age. Males are generally larger, but thinner in the belly.
- 3). Look for a bump on the head. Males will usually develop a bump or swelling on their head just over the eyes. Females may have a straighter line from the base of the dorsal fin to their lips.
- 4). Observe the area between the ventral and anal fins. When angelfish are ready to spawn, they develop a papilla, which is a small protuberance between the ventral and anal fin through which a female deposits her eggs and a male his sperm. A female will have a papilla about a quarter-inch long and flat across the end. The male papilla will be about the same length, but more pointed. The female will appear to have a fuller belly because of the eggs.
- 5). Make a final determination after the angelfish start spawning. By then, it should be clear which is a male and which is a female.
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