What should I do with 3 male McCosker's Wrasses?!?!

[alaska clowns]

I knew I was gambling. They came in the mail yesterday afternoon.
I ordered 3 McCosker's wrasses - the place couldn't guarantee male/female.
So I'm pretty sure I have 3 males.
They are in my 38 gallon QT; I have a divider set up, separating 1 from the other two because it was being picked on. I'm just about ready to put in a second divider to separate the remaining 2, which are flashing beautifully for each other, and doing some chasing.
My DT is 65 gallon.
I'm assuming they'll never learn to get along? Or change gender?

What just frosts me is that this order is a re-order of an order that FedEx froze last month - and upon examination, I'm pretty sure I had a female in that last DOA box.

Thank you for your help!

 

[btkrausen]

My guess is that they will continue to fight to the point where time won't be on your side for one or more to turn female. Best bet is probably to bring to LFS or local reefer.

 

[alaska clowns]

My guess is that they will continue to fight to the point where time won't be on your side for one or more to turn female. Best bet is probably to bring to LFS or local reefer.

Thanks for your reply!
Just wondering what you mean by "time won't be on [my] side"?

Do I have this right:
If left singly, they will turn or remain male...
But males together will probably fight to death...
But females together, one will become male?

If I put only one in my tank, will he lose his vibrancy?

 

[LukFox]

If left singly, they will remain male. My male did not tolerate a second male (it was a female that turned male after some time in the tank even though another male was present) and I removed the second male. A single male will not lose vibrancy, but may flash less often.

 

[snorvich]

If left singly, they will remain male. My male did not tolerate a second male (it was a female that turned male after some time in the tank even though another male was present) and I removed the second male. A single male will not lose vibrancy, but may flash less often.

Exactly.

 

[alaska clowns]

Thank you for your help!

Maybe pairing them isn't as easy as it sounded to me at first, if a female turns male in the presence of another male.

I'll split two between tanks and talk to my LFS about the 3rd. In past dealings of similar scenarios, he always says, "We could find it a new home" - meaning, sure, we'll take it off your hands for free so we can turn around and sell it. I guess he can do that since he's the only LFS in a 350 mile radius

 

[LukFox]

You can always post him for sale in your local forum or craigslist~. You can even make sure he goes to a good home that way.

 

[palmer373]

Alaska clowns- judging by your sig, your in the fairbanks area? What LFS is up there?

 

[btkrausen]

Thanks for your reply!
Just wondering what you mean by "time won't be on [my] side"?


But males together will probably fight to death...

Exactly what I was referring to, that if you left then all together then they would fight to the death before any had the chance to turn female.

 

[alaska clowns]

Alaska clowns- judging by your sig, your in the fairbanks area? What LFS is up there?

Can I name names on here?
I think it's just a local yocal, Fishtopia.
Unless, of course, Petco is considered an LFS? We have one of those, also.
I assume you are down in Palmer... I bet you have a good selection of LFS to choose from! I think that before I was interested in aquariums, there was more selection here.

 

[palmer373]

lol Wasilla actually, but I do everything in Palmer. I think i've heard of Fishtopia, not sure if it was good or bad reviews though. Whats your take on the store? I don't count Petco as an LFS since it's a chain. Sometimes there are some good fish in the ones in anchorage.

The only LFS in the area is in anchorage now, Alaska Coral Finatics. A few years ago there were 3 LFS' in the valley and 2 in anch but only one remains in both areas.

Good luck with the wrasses, hopefully your solve the problem.

 

[reefjunkie42]

they cant revert back to female once male, hth

 

[alaska clowns]

Difference between male and female?

Difference between male and female?

Sorry to sound stupid...... But I can't find a picture of a female M.Flasher Wrasse. I thought the difference would be obvious, but I do have one that looks ever so slightly different from the other two. Is it possible that its a female? The reason they're together in the pictures is because it managed to cross my tank divider.

they cant revert back to female once male, hth
Indeed, that is helpful info!

Palmer - I'm just glad that we have SOMETHING as far as an LFS! If I need something when I'm in a pinch, Fishtopia usually has it (if I want to pay an arm and a leg). That being said, all the stereotypical things people say about their LFS probably still apply to ours (although he did tell me that I couldn't keep a tang in my old 26 gallon). I once overheard an employee tell a customer that the blue tang didn't look like a tang anymore "because it wouldn't take its fishy vitamins." Enough said.

 

[LukFox]

Those are all male, sadly.

Females have less blue and just a slightly taller spike on the dorsal, no long filament.

 

[aleonn]

I didn't know McCosker flasher wrasses can revert from male to female. I was told by some a few LFS that I should buy a juvenile and hope it's a female. In any case, I'll be following your thread, and keep us posted

 

[LukFox]

I didn't know McCosker flasher wrasses can revert from male to female. I was told by some a few LFS that I should buy a juvenile and hope it's a female. In any case, I'll be following your thread, and keep us posted

They can't~. And that was good advice. If the fish is an inch or less it's probably female!

 

[snorvich]

They can't~. And that was good advice. If the fish is an inch or less it's probably female!

Correct. All juveniles are females until they become (are incented to become) males. Flasher wrasses do not revert. Some fairy wrasses can revert.

 

[alaska clowns]

LukFox, thanks for the great picture! Ok, now I know what a female looks like. Well, bummer for me
So just to confirm, there is NO chance that two (or 3) males can be together in the same tank (65 gallons) without killing each other?
And if I were to have a female (or 2) (don't know where I'd get them, though), I should add them to the DT first or at the same time, right?
Thanks for all the help with my situation

 

[reefjunkie42]

I didn't know McCosker flasher wrasses can revert from male to female. I was told by some a few LFS that I should buy a juvenile and hope it's a female. In any case, I'll be following your thread, and keep us posted

when did anyone say they could revert back to female? I only said they cant go from female =>male=>female. HTH

 

[alaska clowns]

:deadhorse1: I don't mean to....
1. But I just want to be sure that NO two males can ever inhabit the same aquarium?
I'm having trouble keeping them separated. Two of them (the two pictured) appear to tolerate each other quite well when together...
Worthless tank dividers!

2. If I add a male to my DT right now (to help keep them separated) would it be a bad idea to ever add a female to join him?

Thanks for your help!