Pseudocheilinops ataenia (Cryptic/pelvic spot wrasse) help

[Ptyochromis]

My LFS was able to get some P. ataenia in for me today. I picked up two, they were still in the shipping bag from the wholesaler. From what I could tell they looked like a male and a female. They began sizing each other up and some occasional nipping. Starting to think my presumed female is actually a male.

Any chance they will get over this or am I going to have to pull one?

tank specs:
29g + 20g fuge/sump
~45lbs of LR
Stock
1 Liopropoma swalesi
1 Smith's fang blenny
1 Rainford's goby
1 blue-green Chromis
1 Clown goby (Gobiodon histrio)
+ assorted SPS

 

[teemee]

Yes, unfortunately if they're not getting along now, in that sized tank, you will not likely fare well. I'd try taking one back to the LFS. Mine has told me in past that the males are more brightly coloured, but I've also heard that the males have blue in the pelvic fins, whether or not this is true however, I can't tell you. Maybe there is more info on WWM?
Either way, I hope you love this fish as much as I do - definitely one of my favorite fish. Mine did fine with a possum wrasse in my old 30g, so if you can't figure it out, you might want to wait and get another pygmy wrasse.
Good luck!

 

[Ptyochromis]

That's what I was afraid of. Hopefully I can catch it before it's too late.
Think it's too late to add a female or two now that territories have been established?

 

[teemee]

if you can figure out for sure which is male and female, it might be worth a shot. I've had a harem of these, and when I tried to introduce an additional female (i think), it didn't work out... at all.

 

[evolved]

The Pseudocheilinops (and related Pseudocheilinus) genus are not sexually dichromatic, meaning you cannot determine sex based of coloration.

It sounds as though you have two males, which is unfortunately a recipe for a victim and a survivor.

 

[Ptyochromis]

Well agression is way down today. I saw them swimming next to each other into the current.
My basslett is giving them a hard time though.

I really don't want to have to yank one, it took me roughly 3 months to catch my 6-line lol. Images titled 1 and 2 are different specimens, images titled 3 are photos I forgot who is who.

I do have some pics, I apologize for the quality, they aren't easy to photograph.

1a

1b

1c

2a

2b

2c

2d

3a

3b

 

[Ptyochromis]

Sorry for the image size, If you are on chrome you can right click the image and open in new tap, with firefox- right click then view image. With IE you can either hold ctrl and scroll wiht the mouse wheel or get firefox or chrome

Or you can see the album here http://imgur.com/a/slnOD