Confused Genicanthus Angels Transitioning

[CMO]

Just though I'd share this since these angels seem to be transitioning the opposite of what I read should be happening.

I first acquired a 100% Bellus female followed by a 100% male Wantanabie a few months later.

Here they are when I got them.




The Male Wantanabie started transitioning after a month or so of arrival with the female Bellus in it's presence. They both remained 100% female for several months until recently the Bellus has begun transitioning to male. But what makes this more perplexing is that the Wantanabie is much larger and the most dominant fish in my entire system while the Bellus is about half the size and extremely passive.

Here they are today with the Wantanabie now 100% female and the Bellus transitioning.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Huh... that’s neat. I think it is pretty rare for fish to “change back” like that. Beautiful fish!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Genicanthus are prone to transitioning back. Usually the smaller Genicanthus in the tank don't transition forward with another dominant Genicanthus. That being said, males captured as males in the wild can have trouble adjusting fully to captivity, whereas the smaller bellus is adapting well to captivity.

 

[ngoodermuth]

^ The more you know [emoji851]

 

[CMO]

Genicanthus are prone to transitioning back. Usually the smaller Genicanthus in the tank don't transition forward with another dominant Genicanthus. That being said, males captured as males in the wild can have trouble adjusting fully to captivity, whereas the smaller bellus is adapting well to captivity.

I was contemplating getting one more Genicanthus, probably a female spotbreast if so. Would that disrupt / stress these 2 and does transitioning stress a fish? I know my wantanabie just transitioned to male before I got him so he/she is already going on 2 back to back transitions. I wouldn't want a 3rd to cause yet more transitioning, especially if it's hard on them. I'll stick with just the two if they'd be happier that way. Thanks

 

[Gablami]

They are beautiful fish. I’ve had a watanabei and currently have a female Bellus. Personally I prefer the female Bellus and the male watanabei’s coloration, so I would be a bit disappointed if it were my tank. But as much as we’d like to, we can’t fully control nature .

 

[eatbreakfast]

I was contemplating getting one more Genicanthus, probably a female spotbreast if so. Would that disrupt / stress these 2 and does transitioning stress a fish? I know my wantanabie just transitioned to male before I got him so he/she is already going on 2 back to back transitions. I wouldn't want a 3rd to cause yet more transitioning, especially if it's hard on them. I'll stick with just the two if they'd be happier that way. Thanks

Social dynamics are one of the major triggers for Genicanthus transition, so anytime the status quo is disrupted it can have an affect.

 

[CMO]

They are beautiful fish. I’ve had a watanabei and currently have a female Bellus. Personally I prefer the female Bellus and the male watanabei’s coloration, so I would be a bit disappointed if it were my tank. But as much as we’d like to, we can’t fully control nature .

Yeah I'm with you. That's why I bought them in the exact opposite sex as they are now / becoming! But having said that, now that I actually have a female Wantanabie I think she's beautiful and wouldn't hesitate to get another. For whatever reason though a lot of the female Wantanabies I see in online photos and in LFS are pretty lightly colored like a whitish blue whereas the one I have is a deep blue which I really like.

If I had to do it over I'd get a pair of Wantanabies.

 

[CMO]

Social dynamics are one of the major triggers for Genicanthus transition, so anytime the status quo is disrupted it can have an affect.

How about other non-genicanthus tank-mates? Can they cause transitioning? My Wantanabie and large Black Axil Chromis go at it a bit but nothing of concern really. Might that be impacting him/her?

 

[eatbreakfast]

How about other non-genicanthus tank-mates? Can they cause transitioning? My Wantanabie and large Black Axil Chromis go at it a bit but nothing of concern really. Might that be impacting him/her?

It can be affected by other fish, but I would expect it from a fish larger than a chromis, instead a tang or other angel would be more likely.