Male blue throat trigger coloring

[Just Jim]

I have a male blue throat trigger that has dulled in color. Particularly the yellow fins. I was recently told that this may have happened due to the lack of a female. First off is this true? Secondly if so, if I were to add a female would this in some way help? The idea of the colors dulling because of no female seems odd, but I've seen a lot of weirder things in the hobby.

 

[Dmorty217]

The colors may brighten up in the presence of a female, just like in nature with all animals. Try feeding a more varied diet enriched with vitachem and selcon and see if that helps. If you add a female make sure the male is larger so they won't play the turning male/female game

 

[Just Jim]

It's def not a food issues. I soak my food and it eats flake too.

 

[Dmorty217]

How long have you had the trigger

 

[xcorallusx]

I've had them a few times and the males always loose the pretty coloring, even had pairs

 

[sc50964]

I don't think triggers are hermaphroditic.

 

[Dmorty217]

I don't think triggers are hermaphroditic.

People who start out with crosshatch trigger trios have ended up with all males in the end...

 

[sc50964]

I've also heard about that on crosshatch, but does that also carry over to bluethroat?

 

[Dmorty217]

I've also heard about that on crosshatch, but does that also carry over to bluethroat?

Not 100% but I have seen transitioning females to males for sale on DD for blue throats and they were labeled that way

 

[PMazz]

I have the same issue. The colors on my male blue jaw have muted since i got him. I read everything from stress to lack of female. It cant be stress since he is the only dominant fish in the tank right now. He is housed with 2 clowns and a bangaii cardinal. I hope the yellow bounces back because that is the whole reason i bought him.

 

[humaguy]

very common with bt...regardless of a female in the tank..

 

[Just Jim]

Has anyone "colored" back up their blue throat? I was considering adding a female, but if it wouldn't help, then forget it.

 

[PMazz]

Curious to hear the answer ^

 

[bmooney31]

I purchased a pair of blue throats ended up with two females. The male was the smaller of the two when I got them and I was bummed when it started losing its colors. I just recently added another male that's had great colors so we shall see. Hopefully it keeps its coloring. I've searched all over on this topic and found nothing, so I was glad when I saw this thread knowing that I wasn't the only one that has had this happen. Again though my newly added male is smaller than the females so this will be a good test to see if it happens. I always thought they weren't hermaphroditic but maybe that isn't the case.

 

[Just Jim]

I was at the lfs and their male had a almost white body. It was much bigger than my trigger so I'm sure it was set as male and it's yellow was vibrant.

 

[sanchoy]

One of my pet peeves. Sex changing fish! Happened to me plenty of times. Try a mirror, that kept my swallow tail from changing with weekly rounds