Chelmon rostratus (sexing, pairing etc.)

[Gary Majchrzak]

various sources appear to give conflicting information on these topics. (Perhaps not all is yet understood):

*do Copperbands form long term monogamous pairs?

*are they sequential hermaphrodites?

*do they display any sexual dimorphism (perhaps size differences)?

for those maintaining pairs of Chelmon rostratus in reef aquaria do you have any tips on how to go about this?

 

[jd474]

hi Gary, we have been keeping a pair together for about a year or so now with success. i can't be much help to you, but basically one was in a tank for several years, and we decided to add another one day. the two never showed any initial aggression towards each other, and are inseparable now. i don't know of any ways to sex them visually, and as far as i know, they are gonochoristic. i'm chalking it up as being on the lucky side of the coin flip (for once). i don't hear too many success stories pairing these guys, but the tank is 2000 gal., so maybe that helped a bit (though i see conspecifics fight in much larger aquaria all the time).

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

hi, jd!

hi, jd!

are both specimens roughly the same size?

 

[jd474]

are both specimens roughly the same size?

yes, very similar to each other.