lyretail anthias anthias changing sexes

[User1]

Looks big. Much bigger than the rest.

They are interesting fish. There is clearly one of my 4 that stands out being the biggest bully or assertive. Feeding time it tries to force them all into a single area so it has more open water to snag food. I've started to feed both sides of the tank now but they are fast. My Lt. Tang gets into the mix and fish are darting everywhere. I think I may try and pick up another 4. Love the fish though I have to say. Really add a lot of color and movement.

 

[Philt56]

The top is the big sunburst, smaller one not in pic didn’t make it. The male lyretail definitely is bigger although not too much, the females have more of a torpedo body.

 

[User1]

Ok, I see. Thanks.

 

[mike werner]

latest pic.i think the transformation has slowed a bit.i had a mail I lost in another tank and his body was a much richer purple so i'm thinking that this final stage will take some time.

 

[Philt56]

My transitioning male and one of the females.

Interesting, one of the females died. Although I never saw it ever interested in the clam on half shell that I feed my copperband, I saw it one night with a huge piece of clam in its mouth and couldn’t get rid of it and choked.

So I have the one male with the black markings and dusty rose color and the other female also now has the black on its fins and turning an intense orange red.

Are black marks on fins unique to males? Would a female change to male with just another male around or maybe it was competing with the male for the other female before it died and changed?

 

[Philt56]

Here’s the female/male with the intense orange red

Here’s what I assume was the first male. He always seemed dominant over the other 2 and I got him first.

They both have the black fin markings which developed recently.

 

[Ecvernon]

Here is a picture of mine. I bought a trio from divers den. After a year 1 decided to go full male. I feed PE mysis and sometimes NLS pellets

View attachment 20180624_180011.jpg

 

[User1]

Nice fully body on that one - looks nice.