Bartlett's Anthias all turned Male

[Mickey]

I have a small school of 5 Bartlett's anthias that have been in my 250 gallon display for a little over a year. Started out with one male and the others female. Within a few months, all but one had turned to males. Within the last two months, the sole female holdout has now turned male.

There is a little aggression but so far it hasn't been bad. They all congregate together in one group for about 5 minutes after the MH's go out. Otherwise the mostly stay separate but near each other in the live rock except when one decides to take a cruise around the tank.

Has anyone else had this experience?

Do you think it's possible to add more to this group after all this time? I've thought about adding another 5 and getting them as young juveniles hoping they will stay female.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Mickey

 

[tony13]

Can you post any pics, I'm concidering 6 for my 210, would love to see the males coloring. Thanks

 

[Mickey]

They move pretty quick but I'll give it a try tonight or tomorrow. They are basically a bright pink to lavender color with a thin band of yellow on their backs. Tails are yellow and there is a dark purple line from their mouth to the base of the dorsal fin. Mouth is definitely shaped like a beak (comes to a point).

While they were going through the "change", they had a yellow stripe right in the middle, sort of like a belt, going from about the center of the dorsal fin straight down to the middle of the body. This faded with time. Females were yellow on top half of their body and pink on the ventral side. Gradually the yellow gave way to pink leaving only this belt, which eventually went away as well.

Mickey