# clipping fins for indentification



## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

can this be done?has anyone ever done this and if so how?what fin is ok to cut.
im trying to find out how many female peacocks i have but once back in tank its immposible to tell difference between them.i don't have another tank or i would just seperate them that way.


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## gmaschke (Aug 23, 2008)

Actually the Michigan fisheries as well national fish and game departments clip fin. All lake trout plants have fin or combination of fins clipped completely off in order to immediately know the year they were planted. They do fine.

Personally I would rather not clip the fins of my fish though seems a bit drastic although I am a hobbiest breeder asthetics are the main goal and a bunch of fin clipped fish wouldn't be as pleasing to me. IMO


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

Personally I would rather not clip the fins of my fish though seems a bit drastic although I am a hobbiest breeder asthetics are the main goal and a bunch of fin clipped fish wouldn't be as pleasing to me. IMO[/quote]

i agree but its hard to tell the females from male peacocks when there still young and im trying to sex them. i was thinking of doing it when i got a holding female, i usually strip her cause i don't want to stunt her growth and would be nice to know if same female is getting laid,lol
it does grow back and by then i won't need it anymore to tell.
what fin would be best to clip if i did?


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

I googled and found this

Is fin clipping fish common in fishery science?
Fin-clipping fish has been used as a tool in fisheries research for a long time. It is a simple and quick way to externally mark a fish. Fin-clipping is easily carried out with a pair of scissors. Literature shows that partial clips of dorsal fins can be used as short term marks without adverse effects on survival or metabolism (Wydoski and Emery, 1983). The fins will regenerate, or grow back. However, permanent loss or damage can occur if a fin is removed to the point of where it is attached to the bone. References on studies evaluating the effects of fin clips date back to the 1940s. For tarpon, the elongated dorsal threadfin or dorsal filament is an ideal tissue to sample by taking only the tip (a half-inch) of the fin for DNA analysis. In reality, a clip of any fin of the tarpon would work. Today, fin clips are commonly used as part of Project Tampa Bay, which is a genetic study on redfish stocks and the effects of hatchery fish being introduced to wild stocks in the population.

So it sounds like the dorsal one


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

i knew they did it for larger game fish in the wild and hatcherys and such.but i wasn't sure it would be safe for smaller fish like pet fish.i was asking cause i noticed that some fish get fins nipped all the time and they seem no worse for wear and it grows back in time so i got to thinking i could use fin clipping as a way to tell females from males.i would do it as a juvie and would have plenty of time to grow back.thx for the replys


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

Ya I had a german red with most of its dorsal missing.


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## swimalong (Feb 9, 2008)

Seems cruel to me, what if they feel pain? Does seem drastic for just a few 'pet' fish.


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

we keep animals in glass boxes and your worried about being cruel,lol


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

joker4466 said:


> we keep animals in glass boxes and your worried about being cruel,lol


Keeping them in glass boxes does not inflict pain on them, unless you choose to stock them inappropriately and turn the tank into a blood bath. :wink:

I'm not sure if they would feel it or not, but if they are young enough that the male aren't showing any colour, it is highly unlikely that the venting process will be 100% accurate, anyway.


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## joker4466 (Oct 10, 2008)

i would not be venting them.i would wait till a young peacock held and then i would do it to them after i striped them to keep track of females.thats the example i used anyways,was peacocks.
just for the record i don't plan on doing this.i knew they did it in the wild and on fish farms and such for numerous reasons. i was just curious,im afriad it will have perminant damage to the fins and they will look defected.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

joker4466 said:


> i was just curious,im afriad it will have perminant damage to the fins and they will look defected.


It _could_ do permanent damage if you cut too deep, but that's easy enough NOT to do. I think my main concern would be infection...The stress of handling them plus the "incision" could easily lead to fin rot if not done in the most sterile conditions.


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