As far as bluegill, once they get a little size to them they are relatively
easy to tell. As you mentioned, males get the copper color to their belly.
They also get a larger "bluegill" flap and become rather pugnatious.
Females are a bit smaller proportioned, a smaller flap, and usually with
some vertical barring on them.
Nick Zarlinga
"If we ignore nature.....maybe it'll go away."
----- Original Message -----
From: "Golden D. Dog" <gold25dog_at_yahoo.com>
To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2003 1:18 PM
Subject: RE: NANFA-- Newbie
> Sounds like a lot of fun Nick, I am definately up
> to just about any excursions within a couple of hours
> of here. Oh, btw, I had posted a message yesterday
> asking how to sex bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus.) I
> opened a book or two and found that the males tend to
> have a more noticeable copper tinge to their breast
> plate as well as a purple tinge along their bodies,
> where as the females have more of a yellow breast
> plate and no purple. After observing the specimens
> that I collected, I would hafta say the purple is the
> most distinguishing of the markings. About the
> outings planned for the third and tenth of May, are
> the details usually posted here ? Let me know what is
> going on.
> Adam
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