flame wrasse sex change
- Thread starter Ron Popeil
- Start date
flameangel88
New member
Does anyone have 2 pairs of Flame Wrasse in their tank or that's a bad idea and better off with couple of females?
flameangel88
New member
Hope they look better in here taken on 12/19
flameangel88
New member
Here's couple taken just now
Sorry, the male is harder to get a good pic of
Sorry, the male is harder to get a good pic of
dadonoflaw
New member
mine would never jump. one day the male mysteriously died while i was on vacation after a year and days later the female jumped. it was like suicide cuz they never even tried to jump before that even during tank maintenance. finally got the male back so i will get the females later
flameangel88
New member
I got a pair back in December (see pictures in page 1 of this thread) and the male died after less than 3 weeks. The female is doing well but I noticed she's getting more yellow around the edge and was wondering if she's changing to male?
This was in December
and today
This was in December
and today
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
I think a very important distinction to make here is the difference in male/female and male/female appearances.
It is my opinion that fish, like many many other animals that show sexual dimorphism, will only show the "costlier" male appearance (flamboyant, colorful, and gaudy) when absolutely necessary. It is a tremendous danger for them to draw so much attention to themselves, unless there is reproductive reason. So, in flame wrasses (or other fish, for that matter), can males not look like males? In my opinion, absolutely. A male can look just like a female, until it is courting time, a suitable harem is present, etc, after which he can regain his "flash".
So, can "sex change" time vary? Absolutely, I would not doubt that a true transformation from female to male would take a longer period, while a appearance transition of "eclipse" male (to steal a term from ornithology) to breeder male may be much quicker.
It is my opinion that fish, like many many other animals that show sexual dimorphism, will only show the "costlier" male appearance (flamboyant, colorful, and gaudy) when absolutely necessary. It is a tremendous danger for them to draw so much attention to themselves, unless there is reproductive reason. So, in flame wrasses (or other fish, for that matter), can males not look like males? In my opinion, absolutely. A male can look just like a female, until it is courting time, a suitable harem is present, etc, after which he can regain his "flash".
So, can "sex change" time vary? Absolutely, I would not doubt that a true transformation from female to male would take a longer period, while a appearance transition of "eclipse" male (to steal a term from ornithology) to breeder male may be much quicker.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
I think a very important distinction to make here is the difference in male/female and male/female appearances.
It is my opinion that fish, like many many other animals that show sexual dimorphism, will only show the "costlier" male appearance (flamboyant, colorful, and gaudy) when absolutely necessary. It is a tremendous danger for them to draw so much attention to themselves, unless there is reproductive reason. So, in flame wrasses (or other fish, for that matter), can males not look like males? In my opinion, absolutely. A male can look just like a female, until it is courting time, a suitable harem is present, etc, after which he can regain his "flash".
So, can "sex change" time vary? Absolutely, I would not doubt that a true transformation from female to male would take a longer period, while a appearance transition of "eclipse" male (to steal a term from ornithology) to breeder male may be much quicker.
It is my opinion that fish, like many many other animals that show sexual dimorphism, will only show the "costlier" male appearance (flamboyant, colorful, and gaudy) when absolutely necessary. It is a tremendous danger for them to draw so much attention to themselves, unless there is reproductive reason. So, in flame wrasses (or other fish, for that matter), can males not look like males? In my opinion, absolutely. A male can look just like a female, until it is courting time, a suitable harem is present, etc, after which he can regain his "flash".
So, can "sex change" time vary? Absolutely, I would not doubt that a true transformation from female to male would take a longer period, while a appearance transition of "eclipse" male (to steal a term from ornithology) to breeder male may be much quicker.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
agreed, but thats not entirely what Im talking about. In an ecological sense, it is very costly (read- dangerous) for a male to sport intense bright coloration. It draws attention to them, from both mates, and predators. So, in fish where the coloration may alter based on reproductive status, it seems quite logical to me, that a male wont be flamboyant unless he has a need to (to breed). Otherwise, hes drawing attention for no reason. Certainly, nuptial colors are indicative of breeding, but they are VERY short term (minutes) and are typically associated with actual courting and spawning. However, if a fish has no intentions, nor ability to breed, why keep the prominent male colors (as it is such a danger)? As Im mentioned, this is a common occurrence in birds. Males very regularly shed their breeding plumage for whats called "eclipse plumage" in non breeding times, and often look just like females. Does this make them females? No, juts in drag (hehe). Seriously, though, is it possible that these fish are internally and morphologically males, and just do not display the bright coloration of the males because there is not an appropriate breeding scenario?
cas
New member
Jmandypanada:
Interesting theory, but birds only have one or two breeding periods per year and many mate for life, so the male would not need to attract a harem as the male wrasses do. Also a male flasher wrasse needs to defend his harem against other males. By being colorful he accomplishes two things keeps his harem close and warns off other males. I am not saying a super male colors are not muted most of the day, but he can not spend most of the year in drab colors. He needs to atract his harem and defend it every day of his life.
I see it as more of a bull elk that is so busy defending his harem that he does not have time to eat during the breeding season and weakens and gets driven off at some point. If we survives the winter he has the spring and summer to regain his strength and aquire another harem in the late summer/fall.
Interesting theory, but birds only have one or two breeding periods per year and many mate for life, so the male would not need to attract a harem as the male wrasses do. Also a male flasher wrasse needs to defend his harem against other males. By being colorful he accomplishes two things keeps his harem close and warns off other males. I am not saying a super male colors are not muted most of the day, but he can not spend most of the year in drab colors. He needs to atract his harem and defend it every day of his life.
I see it as more of a bull elk that is so busy defending his harem that he does not have time to eat during the breeding season and weakens and gets driven off at some point. If we survives the winter he has the spring and summer to regain his strength and aquire another harem in the late summer/fall.
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