transitioning wrasses

[CindyKz]

My melanarus has gotten larger and brighter over time. Also the spot on his tail has become smaller. I thought I read somewhere that a fully transitioned male melanarus would no longer have the spot on his tail but I can't find a reference now. Pictures I've seen of terminal males don't have one. Does the absence of the spot indicate a fully transitioned male?

My C. exquisitus (female when I bought her) has also become much brighter and the color demarcations have become clearer. Is there any definitive way to tell where she/he is in the process of transitioning, if she is? I've never seen any display of color or anything, but there are no other fairy wrasses in the tank.

These are the only 2 wrasses in a 75 gal tank (multiple other fish though). I don't plan to add more or anything, I'm just curious. I read several articles including @evolved 's awesome writeup, but none of them referred to the caudal spot on the H. melanarus.

Hard to get good pictures of them, these shots don't do justice to their colors.

Thanks!

 

[evolved]

Does the absence of the spot indicate a fully transitioned male?

Pretty much.

(female when I bought her)

I wouldn't necessarily believe that to be true. Females are notably different.

Is there any definitive way to tell where she/he is in the process of transitioning

This is certainly a transitional male, if not a terminal male. Pretty impossible to definitely distinct that line.

but there are no other fairy wrasses in the tank.

That alone can be a trigger sometimes.

 

[CindyKz]

@evolved thank you for the reply! For kicks I found a picture of her (I can't think of "her" as "him") in quarantine. No LED lighting there but you can see how drab she was when I got her.

 

[evolved]

@evolved thank you for the reply! For kicks I found a picture of her (I can't think of "her" as "him") in quarantine. No LED lighting there but you can see how drab she was when I got her.

Was never a her. Transitional male, albeit a bit drab in color (could be diet or stress related).
Females look like so, with a purple wash towards the dorsal and always the characteristic white-tipped nose:

 

[CindyKz]

Females look like so, with a purple wash towards the dorsal and always the characteristic white-tipped nose:

Thanks for the picture! I had a difficult time finding pictures of female Cirrhilabrus species, but noticed in the few that I found the coloration tended to have a more speckled appearance. I am guessing that's what you mean by "purple wash".

Is the white nose characteristic of female Cirrhilabrus then, or female wrasses in general?

 

[evolved]

I had a difficult time finding pictures of female Cirrhilabrus species, but noticed in the few that I found the coloration tended to have a more speckled appearance.

Generalizations do not tend to work very well applied across a genus; you have to consider on a species level.

I am guessing that's what you mean by "purple wash".

Sort of. There's also a general dull pink/purple coloration below those dots.

Is the white nose characteristic of female Cirrhilabrus then, or female wrasses in general?

No, it is just unique to this species.

 

[CindyKz]

@evolved great info thank you

 

[Deinonych]

Was never a her. Transitional male, albeit a bit drab in color (could be diet or stress related).
Females look like so, with a purple wash towards the dorsal and always the characteristic white-tipped nose:

Agreed on the white-tipped nose (and the likelihood this fish was never female), although I'd say that picture shown above is one of a transitioning IP male given the white ventral coloring. The images below would be representative of female/juvenile phase:

That said, the OP's fish is a great looking specimen. I love the Pacific phenotype, especially once the red dorsal saddles start to develop. This one looks like it may have been collected from Fiji.

 

[evolved]

although I'd say that picture shown above is one of a transitioning IP male

It could be, but I am not totally convinced.

The images below would be representative of female/juvenile phase

The first is still boarderline juvenile, and the second is certainly still a juvenile.

This might be the best mature female photo I can find: