Goldfish sexing

[PinkFish]

How do I tell the gender of my two goldfishes?
Thanks guys and gals.

[Xavier]

Depends on the age / size of the fish. The shape of the vent (anus) is one way. Another is the grippers, a row of small white dots on the front of the front fins. Then there are the dots on the gill covers.

Here is a picture of my black oranda. It is easier to see the grippers on a black goldfish.

Look at the front fins. You can see the white dots. This is a male. If it is still too young, like under 6 months or under 3 inches, you probably won't be able to see them.

[PinkFish]

My goldfish is a comet goldfish, both of them are. They are over a year old but one is quite small (didn't grow, got him as a cheap, waste of a goldfish) I bought him (I say him) at a reduced price as he looked as though he was gunna die. And my other one is about 4inches.

[Xavier]

No matter the breed, the males will have the white dots on the gill covers and on the front of the fins.

No matter how cheap or expensive the goldfish, stunting can occur if they aren't getting enough food or if they don't have enough space. Once stunted, it is hard to unstunt them :(

[PinkFish]

No matter the breed, the males will have the white dots on the gill covers and on the front of the fins.

No matter how cheap or expensive the goldfish, stunting can occur if they aren't getting enough food or if they don't have enough space. Once stunted, it is hard to unstunt them :(

Well they get fed enough! Trust me! But not overfed.
I admit his tank is not huge but it suits him/her fine. When I get the money I will be purchasing a bigger, more enriching tank.

But money's tight at the moment I can't even afford gravel or filters.

[Xavier]

Bare tanks are fine. No need to spend any money on gravel right away. Depending on the filter you have now, it might be enough in the medium term. More water and space is always better than less, even if the filtration is low. In Asia, they keep their fish in unfiltered concrete ponds, and in tanks with minimum filtration. As long as it has a lot of surface area (so no very thin tall tanks) it will be an improvement.

[MLBfan]

Well they get fed enough! Trust me! But not overfed.
I admit his tank is not huge but it suits him/her fine. When I get the money I will be purchasing a bigger, more enriching tank.

But money's tight at the moment I can't even afford gravel or filters.

Goldfish need a filter (more than most other fish that size even because they produce a lot of waste).

Also, feeding, is only one aspect of stunted growth. Usually it occurs because they give off a growth restricting hormone which is much more diluted in larger tanks. What size tank do you have? \

[MLBfan]

Well they get fed enough! Trust me! But not overfed.
I admit his tank is not huge but it suits him/her fine. When I get the money I will be purchasing a bigger, more enriching tank.

But money's tight at the moment I can't even afford gravel or filters.

Goldfish need a filter (more than most other fish that size even because they produce a lot of waste).

Also, feeding, is only one aspect of stunted growth. Usually it occurs because they give off a growth restricting hormone which is much more diluted in larger tanks. What size tank do you have? \

[PinkFish]

A small 'beginner tank' for goldfish. That was how it was sold to me.