2 Lyretail Anthias Changing...

[DallasSVT]

I have 5 Anthias in my reef tank. One changed to Male over the last month or so and now, all of the sudden, I can see another one starting to change as well.


What should I do?

Put more Females in there?



Thanks,

Dallas

 

[ssavader]

My best guess is that the two males will fight for domination and the loser will either be killed or beaten back to the female gender.

 

[davocean]

Of my 5 Lyretails, one is obvious male, and of the 4 females, one has slightly different colors, and a tiny spike dorsal.
I'm sure if anything happened to my male that would be the one to take over next, but it has never looked like it has completed full transormation, but it is noticeably different.
I'm not sure if this is similar to your deal.

 

[niter]

I don't mean to come off silly, but maybe get a cleaner shrimp. I think what Scott (ssavader) posted is the most probably outcome. When we introduced our female anthias the male went after one without mercy and she must have been in the process of changing to male. She buddied up to one of the cleaner shrimp (all the anthias seem to really like them in the tank) and it cleaned up her gnawed out eye socket. She now has joined the group, though she still shares a cave/area with the fire blood shrimp. I figured she was beaten out of the gender switch but the shrimp seemed to really help her recovery.

It might not help and they might not ever have an issue but the shrimp are a really gorgeous utilitarian addition to the system so nothing to lose!

 

[chimmike]

I don't mean to come off silly, but maybe get a cleaner shrimp. I think what Scott (ssavader) posted is the most probably outcome. When we introduced our female anthias the male went after one without mercy and she must have been in the process of changing to male. She buddied up to one of the cleaner shrimp (all the anthias seem to really like them in the tank) and it cleaned up her gnawed out eye socket. She now has joined the group, though she still shares a cave/area with the fire blood shrimp. I figured she was beaten out of the gender switch but the shrimp seemed to really help her recovery.

It might not help and they might not ever have an issue but the shrimp are a really gorgeous utilitarian addition to the system so nothing to lose!

That is pretty cool

 

[DallasSVT]

Will one of them change back to Female? Or will they just keep on fighting?

I have a pair of Cleaner and a pair of Fire Shrimp.

Dallas