Dalmatian Molly

Question
I have just got two dalmatian molly's and they seem to be acting a little weird, eg the smaller one chasing the larger one with less spots, this also happened with my guppies and they ended up having babies. Is there an easier way of telling if they are males or females than waiting for babies ?

Answer
Hi Ciara,
 My guess is that the smaller one is a male and the larger one is a female.  In these species, males are typically smaller than females. The male has a gonopodium.  Look carefully at the anal fin, the fin on the bottom of the fish towards the back end.  In the male, this fin is thickened into a tube that he can swing forward to inseminate the female.  This is how the female's eggs are fertilized inside her, and why they give birth to live young.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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