female or sleeper male?

[brad]

Hey everyone, I`ve got a few questions for ya!
How would I tell the difference between a sleeper male and a female? The fish in question is in with a male twice it`s size so if it`s a sleeper male, it certainly will stay that way right? Would the best option be to move it to see if colours develop? If I do this, how long could it take? It`s around 3/4 of an inch right now.

 

[cootwarm]

If you provide the conditions for them to spawn, a true female is apt to behave differently. She would display for him and court him.

But I don't believe a male that is pretending to be a female, would court the dominant male. He would probably try to avoid the dominant male and hang out in the background. A true female would probably take interest in a cave and try to entice the male to spawn.

Has anyone witnessed otherwise?

Often these males don't show their true colors until the dominant male is removed.

Michael

 

[brad]

The fish in question does have an interest in a cave. I think it`s mostly a favorite hiding place to get away from the male more than a spawning site though. I have seen some displaying but only when it has nowhere left to run. Never trying to entise him to spawn.(I don`t think)

If I decide to remove the male, how long would it take for the questionable fish to show colours if it`s a male?

 

[cootwarm]

It might be a few days or it might take a few weeks.

The ability to change color and mimic the opposite sex is frustrating. But at the same time, it's the odd behavior that makes them so interesting.

I had about 20 juvie viejita in a grow out tank. When they got large enough to be mature I was disappointed that they all appeared to be males, not the slightest hint of back on the ventral fins on any of them. One day I see one with some slight discoloration on the ventral fins, so I put it in a tank with the largest male. Nothing! Now again there wasn't any kind of dark color at all on the ventral fins.

After a couple weeks, I looked over the group again and found another with a very slight shadow on the ventral fins. I bagged this fish and moved it to the tank with the other two viejita to see if this one might be a female. The bag wasn't even in the tank 1 minute when the first fish swam up to the bag and turned a dark yellow with jet black edging on the ventral fins! Not only that but the one in the bag did the same thing!

Just goes to show you how tricky they can be!

Michael

 

[brad]

I think I`m going to remove `her`. She`s quite a bit smaller and has a hard time competing with the male for food anyway. Either she turns out to be a male (which I`ll be happy to at least know) or if she does turn out to be a female, she`ll have a chance to grow and mature before going back in with the male.
Thanks for the help!