Genicanthus Wantanabei gender swapping....hopefully

[79chopperdr]

Not sure why but I have really come to love Wantanbe angels. Over the last two months I have collected three females. One is close to 4", the other two are about 2.5". All three have been together in my 210 for about 4 weeks now. I collected three females in the hope one would switch to male. My plan is to document this change with pics and videos on this thread.

All the girls looked alike when I got them. To my surprise the one that is showing differences now is the smallest. The only detail you can pick up on in the photos is that her streamers are noticeably longer. In person you can see that the black edge along her back is not defined anymore like the other girls, it almost looks ragged. Her body color is different than the other two now also, it's not noticeable in the photos yet. A friend described it as her body color was muddier than the other two.

Here's some pics and the link to my tank build if your curious. Now time to sit back and watch. :bounce1:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2315310

Standard streamers on two girls

Longer streamers on suspect swapper

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Just picked up the 2nd female.
Good luck & keep us informed.

 

[Arcuatus]

If its really changing, keep an eye on their aggression level. If the smallest is changing, it could have a little bit of a napoleon syndrome that may not bode well with the other two.

Best of luck.

 

[snorvich]

At the moment, they are "sorting it out". If noone has killed anyone, you may get lucky. This species is really tough, I have tried it several times. Do know, however, that they can reverse change also.

 

[79chopperdr]

I'm aware of the f-m-f swap. That was the primary reason for getting three females. I'd be :uzi: if a $250 male switched back to female!

I've also read about the aggression. So far so good, they are also the only genicanthus in the tank

 

[79chopperdr]

So. Definitely some changing happening. I took a video, because pics are impossible with these ladies. If your familiar with the wantabes the females have a faint white stripe that runs down the back and ends at the base of the caudal fin.

The first fish in the video is changing. The white stripe is pronounced now and runs into the caudal. Also the black stripe on the dorsal is disappearing.

The second fish is the largest of the ladies.

Enjoy

 

[79chopperdr]

http://youtu.be/f6gXqxf_Zw4


Here's the link

 

[79chopperdr]

I just watched it on my iPad ,Man those are crappy colors. Sorry folks


Ironically the girl transforming is the smallest most timid of the three.....

 

[cFloor]

These fish are beautiful. I hope to get a pair when I get a bigger tank. Nice song selection for the video!

 

[maikoa02]

I'm aware of the f-m-f swap. That was the primary reason for getting three females. I'd be :uzi: if a $250 male switched back to female!

Yeah....that's exactly what I felt when my male switched. And that's about the same price too.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

Curious to see how things are going.

 

[79chopperdr]

Nothing new to report unfortunately. The smaller female that I thought might change hasn't done much. Her white area is just a little larger the rest.

My largest female has grown big and fat, she is probably pushing 5" now. Her color on the back has darkened a bit, i just attributed that to getting closer to mature size.

Progression photos are hard to find, but what I can find it would appear that the facial marking fading might be one of the first signs...

Patiently waiting.......

 

[SDguy]

IME/O geni's don't get full male colors unless they have to. I know someone on my thread suggested the mirror trick to make one change.... has anyone ever tried this?

 

[hogfanreefer]

I have a 4-5" female that's been in my tank for about a year. She's the boss of the tank . No sign of any change at all. Her streamers are quite long though.

 

[79chopperdr]

IME/O geni's don't get full male colors unless they have to.

Please expand on this. Do you mean competition from other Wantanabeis or being threatened by other fish?

 

[SDguy]

My experience with spotbreast angels was that only if there was a question of dominance among conspecifics did the male get full colors.

 

[79chopperdr]

Thanks. My trio has a pretty established pecking order, so maybe no changes in the future...

 

[79chopperdr]

Holy crap, a change is coming....I think.

Holy crap, a change is coming....I think.

Well it's been over a year with this trio of ladies and I noticed today that the largest is developing a striped/dotted pattern on the anal fin. Also think the dark black base of the tail is fading compared to the other two. I am so excited, I had almost given up on this.

The big girl is pushing six inches now.

 

[OrionN]

That is 14 months. You are very patience

 

[79chopperdr]

Say cheese doesn't work on these guys!

Here's the boy on the way, I hope. note the anal fin



Here's one of the girls. All white anal fin