Males have antler-like outgrowths, the antennae, distributed on their heads and are longer than females. Females have at most a short lady’s beard.
From a total length of about 3 centimeters, males and females can be distinguished by the gill spines. For this you take a male z. B. on a finger. At that point, at the latest, it becomes so angry that it spreads its gill spines.
After that, a female is placed on the finger. By comparing one quickly recognizes the differences between males and females. Because this method is stressful for the catfish, it is better to watch the animals when they meet in the aquarium. They spread their gill spines to show off each other.
In males, the spines are far more powerful and larger than in females. When fighting for territory, the males often get caught with the gill spines and try to drive the rivals out of the territory.
From a total length of approx. 4 to 5 centimeters or from an age of approx. 2 months, the first beginnings of the antennae can be seen. A little later, at about 6 centimetres, catfish are sexually mature. The antennae can be quite different. First on the head, sometimes in front or on the sides of the mouth.
With some catfish species, the females get a kind of reduced antenna growth. Since there are many different species on the market, it is usually not known which species are actually kept.
The antennae in females are mostly limited to the edge of the snout. This also applies to the albinos and, to an even greater extent, to the L 144. Females also rarely develop outgrowths in the middle. However, these are never forked as is often the case with males, especially the older ones.
Females that come from a female that didn’t have antennae usually don’t get antennae either.
Sex differences in blue catfish
Depending on the source, the males of the blue catfish have their antennae after 6 to 8 or 10 to 12 months.
Some females of Ancistrus dolichopterus have antennae, but these are much shorter and usually, but not always, confined to the rim of the head. Normally, the antennae are not or only slightly branched.
Catfish (male) Photo: Moritz Hertel
Long-tailed catfish, male Source: picture on Wikimedia Commons License: CC Attr. SA 2.5 Author: Makro Freak
Female catfish Source: picture on Wikimedia Commons License: CC Attr. SA 3.0 Author: Pia Helminen
Long-tailed catfish Gender differences: Small antlers on the edge of the mouth, no antlers in the middle of the head => female Large antlers in the middle of the head => dominant male Small antlers in the middle of the head => inferior male
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