Is this male or female?

[SMS76]

I bought a small size "MALE" blue jaw triggerfish from the LFS 3-4 months ago. He was listed as Male but has very few lines of blue under his chin and none of the other fins (top/bottom/tails) were colored.

Only difference compared to above picture is that he has 4-5 blue lines (not the whole area) under his mouth or in chin area. He is now 4-5" in size and started to grow some color in his tail but still both top and bottom fins doesn't have a typical color.

Question i have is, did i really buy "MALE" bluejaw as LFS advertised or it's female? Do you think they will grow more color as he will get older? I feed him flakes and home made frozen food with vitamins and all goodies. He also love to tear down and eat silversides.

This is a typical Male jaw picture:

What do you think?

 

[keefsama2003]

thats a female turning

i had a female at one point that was turning and looked the same as yours. and the males look just like that.

 

[Tyrosinase]

What a beauty of a fish!

 

[keefsama2003]

the males look more stunning than the picture mine was like the picture with a good amount of orange in it also.

but not the pretties trigger that is the cross hatch

 

[d4a2n0k]

See my reply in your other thread. My male turned to female if thats possible.

 

[SMS76]

Thanks guys for replies. So basically keefsama2003
you are saying is it's female turning in to male?

d4a2n0k, what you are saying is it's male turning into female?

One thing i noticed that lately it's growing yellowish marign color in it's tail which wasn't there before. Also d4a2n0k, can you post a picture of your female? Does it have any yellowish/brownish color in the tail portion? Does it have any light blue lines under her mouth? Have you tried to pair her up?

 

[d4a2n0k]

Ill see if I can get a good picture. Shes always on the move.

 

[LisaD]

I think it's a female, it looks just like mine. I understand they all start out as females, and can turn to males. I don't think you get males becoming females though.

 

[SMS76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6497026#post6497026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LisaD
I think it's a female, it looks just like mine. I understand they all start out as females, and can turn to males. I don't think you get males becoming females though.

OK so it is female then. You said they "CAN" turn in to males. Do you know if there are more then one female then they turn or they can turn regardless???

 

[SMS76]

More questions:
-> How easy or hard is it to make a pair?
-> Seems like i have a female Bluejaw. If i get a male Bluejaw, will they pair up?
-> Does anyone have a pair?
-> Do the male and female get along or will kill each other?
-> How pair behaves in the tank?

 

[keefsama2003]

yours IS changing i have seen 3 females change the same way.

wait for it to change or add a juvi blue throat


but yours is turning from female to male

 

[SMS76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6500330#post6500330 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keefsama2003
yours IS changing i have seen 3 females change the same way.

wait for it to change or add a juvi blue throat


but yours is turning from female to male

So all juvi starts out as male and change to female? Do you know what triggers to change female to male?? Is this is the normal process for them?

 

[SMS76]

^^

 

[keefsama2003]

yours is female turning to male

 

[SMS76]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6514935#post6514935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keefsama2003
yours is female turning to male

That sounds good. I will wait and keep this thread updated. Thanks guys for replies.

 

[keefsama2003]

keep taking pictures to document the change its is most fascinating and you will be stunned by the change.

starts slow then once it picks up wow the colors just pop out and dont stop

 

[Gobie]

Do females actually change to male? If you have a small 5" female, what are the chances of it becoming a male if it is the only trigger in the tank?

 

[Amphiprion]

AFAIK, triggerfishes, including Xanthichthys species, are gonochoric--separate sexes. Therefore, they cannot change from male to female. However, it would be entirely possible for them to change coloration in response to certain stimuli. But I am not entirely sure. If anyone has a link saying differently, I am curious to find out (simply because I am not entirely sure).

 

[keefsama2003]

well as far as i have witnesses i have seen females when alone in a tank actually turn from the above picture to the throat turning blue and yellow/orange starting to form in the fins

 

[d4a2n0k]

So what is wrong with mine then? I got him/her as a male with the blue throat and yellow around the fins. A few weeks after I got him/her, he/she changed and lost the blue throat and now is dark green around the fins.

He/she eats like a horse but has not grown at all since Ive had him/her, about 18 months. He/she gets fed twice a day. Thats why I feel its a female because they stay much smaller than the males.

I just dont know. All I know is that I have a sexually confused fish.

Ive been trying to get a picture but he/she doesnt stop moving.