Maldives Lyretail Anthias

[morris2]

I ordered four female Maldives Lyretail Anthias. One died immediately. Of the three left, two are already sub-males. One sub-male is further along than the other. There does not seen to be much aggression between them, some establishing of a pecking order.

Will the sub-male that is furthest along continue on to a male and the other stay a sub-male?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

maybe. Maybe not.
I don't think anyone can say for sure.

 

[morris2]

Isn't that the way it always is in this hobby!.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

it sure is.

IME it doesn't take very long (a few days) for certain female Anthias to turn male AND some will turn male even in the presence of an established male.
Now factor in the wholesalers holding tank. Who knows how many lyretails they had in it ...let alone sex ratio!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

fwiw this is a beautiful Anthias species/variant. Can you post a pic of yours?

 

[morris2]

Sub Male

Female

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

outstanding. How long have you had them?

 

[morris2]

Just got them five days ago. They are eating like pigs. I feed them a homemade food of shrimp, clams squid and scallops several times a day. Tankmates are a pair of true percs, three firefish and a mandarian. I am thinking about rounding out the tank with a couple of wrasses. I have a lot of orange in the tank and would like some blueish. Any suggetions? Tank is a 120.