can a carpenter's turn into female?

[Lynnmw1208]

I bought clearly a male carpenter's flasher wrasse about a month ago and it seems all of his spikes are going away! He is down to one and it's barely there. Is it possible he is turning into a she? There is no evidence of fin nipping either. His fin is intact just without the points!!

here he was a month ago:

 

[reefjunkie42]

it looks like it.

 

[snorvich]

Flasher wrasses do not revert.

 

[reefjunkie42]

Flasher wrasses do not revert.

very interesting. So when they are born they are male and female at birth? Or they are born female and then go male depending on the circumstances,But once male cannot revert?

 

[rssjsb]

Flasher wrasses do not revert.

I thought they could revert up to a point in their development, and once they passed that point they became "terminal" males.

 

[29reef]

Once a male is a male it's exactly that. If it's not a male yet it would be a female that could be starting to change to a males colors. For these fish coloration isn't the end all for sex. Maybe that's just more confusing.

In any case; I think that it's possible a fish is picking on your wrasse or it's not flashing and just tucking it's dorsal to it's body. In any case I would just grab a seat and have a extended viewing of the tank for a while and see how everyone is interacting with each other.

 

[aleonn]

Without a female carpenter's wrasse in the tank, your male may be simply losing his coloration and other features (spikes) that are used to attract a female.

 

[JSeymour]

If it wasn't a full male yet, it may change back if someone is being overly dominant. The thing is, once the fin extensions are there, they should be there forever unless they get nipped off. I just have a hard time believing it reabsorbed it's extensions. I could be wrong, but my guess, someone is nipping it, even if your not seeing it.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! I am certain noone is picking on his fins as I don't see any damage to them. Here are some pictures of my wrasse as of today. As you can see there is barely one small spike left. He had 3 about a month ago. Let me know what you guys think. If the case is that he is losing spikes due to no female, how would I be certain he is not changing into female so I can add a female to the tank?

Tank inhabitants are:
2 ocellaris clowns
1 green mandarin
1 yellowhead jawfish
1 carberryi anthias
1 yellow eye kole tang (is wrasse's buddy)

I see no aggression between any of my fish at any time and I do spend a lot of time in front of my tank

 

[snorvich]

Now fairy wrasses are a different situation (for those mentally asking the question) since up to a point, they can revert.

 

[rssjsb]

Now fairy wrasses are a different situation (for those mentally asking the question) since up to a point, they can revert.

That must be what I was thinking of.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

what do you think of the new pictures? I am completely stumped!

 

[reefjunkie42]

probably losing his ability to pick up chicks

 

[29reef]

If you add a female you'll likely end up with at least one male

 

[snorvich]

If you add a female you'll likely end up with at least one male

For sure. But depending where the addition is in its development, you might have two males.

 

[A_Z]

once fairy wrasses turn female to male, they can't go back right?

 

[29reef]

For sure. But depending where the addition is in its development, you might have two males.

Do you think two males would harm each other in his tank? I only suggested it because I feel that even if "the worst" were to happen and he ended up with two males; they would ultimatly flash more frequently. I have almost no experience with flasher wrasse groups; but I'm basing my conclusion on fairy wrasses.

 

[SDguy]

Now fairy wrasses are a different situation (for those mentally asking the question) since up to a point, they can revert.

Really? This is different between fairies and flashers?

 

[TChristman]

I am not sure about flashers but I do know that fairy wrasses can revert from male to female.

 

[snorvich]

Really? This is different between fairies and flashers?

I have had them (fairy) go full circle (female to male to female) but have never had flashers revert.