The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

[Mike white]

I definitely like my wrasses.... if only I could get them to sit still lol

What is the leopard looking wrasse? That's a beauty.

 

[cnseekatz]

So I've noticed that my Potter's wrasse is acting aggressive toward my blue star again. I had an issue with the a while back, and it went away when I used the mirror trick.

I rescaped the tank a little and now the aggression is back. I moved the mirror around a little, and it's alleviated the problem some, but not totally (like last time). At first I attributed the aggression with the rescape, and them trying to re-establish territory. Then I noticed that the Potter's is looking a little different. The area between the pectoral fins and the anal fins has paled noticeably. It's a definitive stripe. Anyone have any ideas what this is, or what's causing it? My only thought is that she's beginning to transition to male. That would explain the change in coloration, and the new aggression.

Or.....?

Besides the aggression and the paler area, she seems totally healthy. Sleep schedule is the same. She's still active and hungry... fat as ever.

 

[eatbreakfast]

What is the name of the leopard looking wrasse?

The leopard looking wrasse is a leopard wrasse, Macropharyngodon meleagris, a female.

So I've noticed that my Potter's wrasse is acting aggressive toward my blue star again. I had an issue with the a while back, and it went away when I used the mirror trick.

I rescaped the tank a little and now the aggression is back. I moved the mirror around a little, and it's alleviated the problem some, but not totally (like last time). At first I attributed the aggression with the rescape, and them trying to re-establish territory. Then I noticed that the Potter's is looking a little different. The area between the pectoral fins and the anal fins has paled noticeably. It's a definitive stripe. Anyone have any ideas what this is, or what's causing it? My only thought is that she's beginning to transition to male. That would explain the change in coloration, and the new aggression.

Or.....?

Besides the aggression and the paler area, she seems totally healthy. Sleep schedule is the same. She's still active and hungry... fat as ever.

In the pic it looks like the potters coloring is a nuptial/dominance display in conjunction with the aggressive behavior being part of that.

Your potters is a male, and I would be willing to wager that your blue star is close to transitioning to a male, and that is spurring the increased aggression.

 

[Jstn]

How does one tell a male from female potters? I never seen many good pictures showing the difference unlike the melagris or blue star, does anyone have a good picture or two?

 

[cnseekatz]

How does one tell a male from female potters? I never seen many good pictures showing the difference unlike the melagris or blue star, does anyone have a good picture or two?

This is all I was able to find:

Mature Male

Mature Female

 

[cnseekatz]

The leopard looking wrasse is a leopard wrasse, Macropharyngodon meleagris, a female.

In the pic it looks like the potters coloring is a nuptial/dominance display in conjunction with the aggressive behavior being part of that.

Your potters is a male, and I would be willing to wager that your blue star is close to transitioning to a male, and that is spurring the increased aggression.

Interesting... Can you tell me more about nuptial/dominance display coloration? My blue star is pretty submissive, and never comes even close to challenging the Potter's. I thought that the transition from male to female wouldn't happen in that type of dynamic. What do you think?

 

[eatbreakfast]

This is all I was able to find:

Mature Male

Mature Female

The most notable difference is the patterning on the face/gill cover. In juveniles it is more of a spotting, as they mature the spots begin to grow together to create a more striated appearance.

Also, the body gets deeper as it matures.

Interesting... Can you tell me more about nuptial/dominance display coloration? My blue star is pretty submissive, and never comes even close to challenging the Potter's. I thought that the transition from male to female wouldn't happen in that type of dynamic. What do you think?

No, it can and does occur with that dynamic. It often isn't predictable whether it will or will not happen.

That whitening in the middle of the body that is a form of color flashing that occurs in the most intense displays.

 

[4FordFamily]

This is all I was able to find:

Mature Male

Mature Female

With leopards the color really means little for most (potters, melagris, ornate, choati, etc) the easiest giveaway is the lines on the face. Notice the male above has more complete lines and the females are more broken up. They connect as they transition more.

Male of the above leopards may well become more vibrant with color but it's not definitive in the least. I've seen female potters far prettier than many males. However I've seen some exemplary males.

In short the best indicator is those blotches vs lines on the face. My ornate is even harder to sex IMO but the lines are almost as straight as the one above and have been transitioning that way slowly over two years. My female potters has even more obviously broken up face pattern than the one above.

Pay special attention to the uniformity of the lines on the gill near the head two to compare the two above.

Melagris, bipartus, and even negronesis are far easier to sex because their colors change.

 

[4FordFamily]

The most notable difference is the patterning on the face/gill cover. In juveniles it is more of a spotting, as they mature the spots begin to grow together to create a more striated appearance.

Also, the body gets deeper as it matures.

No, it can and does occur with that dynamic. It often isn't predictable whether it will or will not happen.

That whitening in the middle of the body that is a form of color flashing that occurs in the most intense displays.

Whoops, there is an echo in here. Your response didn't load!

You were the one that taught me how to sex leopards in the first place!

 

[Jstn]

With leopards the color really means little for most (potters, melagris, ornate, choati, etc) the easiest giveaway is the lines on the face. Notice the male above has more complete lines and the females are more broken up. They connect as they transition more.

Male of the above leopards may well become more vibrant with color but it's not definitive in the least. I've seen female potters far prettier than many males. However I've seen some exemplary males.

In short the best indicator is those blotches vs lines on the face. My ornate is even harder to sex IMO but the lines are almost as straight as the one above and have been transitioning that way slowly over two years. My female potters has even more obviously broken up face patter than the one above.

Pay special attention to the uniformity of the lines on the gill near the head two to compare the two above.

Melagris and bipartus are far easier to sex because their colors change.

I am going to respectfully disagree,I know melagris male looks completely different (color) than the female, much like the blue star, and I though the ornate did a similar transition maybe not as dramatic as the aforementioned . I agree the choati and potters are harder to tell upon first glance.

 

[evolved]

So I've noticed that my Potter's wrasse is acting aggressive toward my blue star again. I had an issue with the a while back, and it went away when I used the mirror trick.

I rescaped the tank a little and now the aggression is back. I moved the mirror around a little, and it's alleviated the problem some, but not totally (like last time). At first I attributed the aggression with the rescape, and them trying to re-establish territory. Then I noticed that the Potter's is looking a little different. The area between the pectoral fins and the anal fins has paled noticeably. It's a definitive stripe. Anyone have any ideas what this is, or what's causing it? My only thought is that she's beginning to transition to male. That would explain the change in coloration, and the new aggression.

Or.....?

Besides the aggression and the paler area, she seems totally healthy. Sleep schedule is the same. She's still active and hungry... fat as ever.

In the pic it looks like the potters coloring is a nuptial/dominance display in conjunction with the aggressive behavior being part of that.

Your potters is a male, and I would be willing to wager that your blue star is close to transitioning to a male, and that is spurring the increased aggression.

Yup; it's just as the OP suspected.

I thought that the transition from male to female wouldn't happen in that type of dynamic.

As eatbreakfast said, it certainly can, but I'd like to point out that a male to female reversal cannot happen if the male bipartitus is at a terminal male state. Terminal male is just that; the transition is terminal and cannot go backwards.

The most notable difference is the patterning on the face/gill cover. In juveniles it is more of a spotting, as they mature the spots begin to grow together to create a more striated appearance.

Also, the body gets deeper as it matures.

And they get that characteristic red-orange highlight at the anterior of the dorsal.

My ornate is even harder to sex

Ornatus is a very sharp distinction once it's a terminal male, or approaching such. It's the female to onset of transitional male that's pretty murky to distinguish. The same stands for meleagris.

 

[Jstn]

Also since we are mentioning all the leopards, the black leopard has a distinct transition to a black green epic looking wrasse. I had a female albeit for a few days and she had the most amazing gold shine that often not captured by the stock photos.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I just found 4 15% liveaquria coupons looks like I will be ordering some wrasses. Only problem I have some in qt now.

 

[4FordFamily]

I am going to respectfully disagree,I know melagris male looks completely different (color) than the female, much like the blue star, and I though the ornate did a similar transition maybe not as dramatic as the aforementioned . I agree the choati and potters are harder to tell upon first glance.

Maybe it's just the two I have had, one was male up front the other transitioned and both did not undergo much color "improvement" from females.

 

[4FordFamily]

Yup; it's just as the OP suspected.


As eatbreakfast said, it certainly can, but I'd like to point out that a male to female reversal cannot happen if the male bipartitus is at a terminal male state. Terminal male is just that; the transition is terminal and cannot go backwards.


And they get that characteristic red-orange highlight at the anterior of the dorsal.


Ornatus is a very sharp distinction once it's a terminal male, or approaching such. It's the female to onset of transitional male that's pretty murky to distinguish. The same stands for meleagris.

Didn't I say melagris and bipartus look very different? Maybe I typed the wrong thing. Ornate is a new one for me with much appearance difference. Albeit I've only seen maybe half a dozen in total.

 

[wesamazmy]

I love it
but some reef keepers says its not reef safe

 

[Rybren]

I love it
but some reef keepers says its not reef safe

Video is marked private.

 

[wesamazmy]

Video is marked private.

Sorry updated now

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I love it
but some reef keepers says its not reef safe

I think the only reason they say that is because they will eat your CUC. I have one and love him he's a next one thats always hunting

 

[evolved]

Didn't I say melagris and bipartus look very different? Maybe I typed the wrong thing. Ornate is a new one for me with much appearance difference. Albeit I've only seen maybe half a dozen in total.

You had meleagris in both areas, so kinda.
ornatus terminal males get really green compared to females & submales.

I love it
but some reef keepers says its not reef safe

Reef safe-ish. More-so it's too bad that it fades to a drab olive as it matures and often gets a nasty attitude too.