i have a female malawian kenyi cichlid and it's color is fading very badly and it seems to be turning a bit yellow, I took a guess that it is turning into a male, am i right?
can fish actually change their sex?
and if so do you know how?
if not what is going on with this drastic color change?
2007-03-28 11:47:18 · 11 answers · asked by serrsly 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
i have others with the one and they are fine, i dont know what is wrong, its like a pale white yellow color, its stripes are completely gone and it happened in like 3 days.
2007-03-28 12:02:36 · update #1
Your fish isn't changing its sex, it's changing it's color.
Kenyi (metriaclima lombardoi) are a dimorphic species (meaning matured males and females are different in appearance).
Both genders start off as light blue fish with black stripes, but as the males mature they gradually become solid-yellowish fish. Your male kenyi is simply transforming from juvenile colors to the adult male pattern.
2007-03-28 17:02:46 · answer #1 · answered by Kay B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I figured you were going to mention a kenyi. While there is no scientifc evidence at this point that they do change sex, I have heard some stories including a female who was housed by herself and produced offspring after undergoing color changes back and forth, several times. Also I have heard of dominate females changing color (possibly to get the male to stop trying to spwan LOL).
2007-03-28 13:21:30 · answer #2 · answered by SabrinaD 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually certain species of cichlids have been known to change their sex. Especially in an area where one gender is not present, cichlids have been known to change sex and able to reproduce. How exactly they do this is not really well understood yet.
Just hang in there and watch what happens. It'll be an interesting conversation topic at the very least. You'll be the fish parent with the child who decided to have a sex change. Don't suppose you'll need theraphy though..
2007-03-28 15:27:14 · answer #3 · answered by aken 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I beleive you are talking about gynandromorphism. Gynandromorphism in chilids is rare but does happen, If gynandromorphism is hapening its not changing sex its becoming 2 sexes! Some times cilids with gynandromorphism have been recorded to have eggs with no other chilid around. Another answer is that shes sick, another shes pregnate, another shes old, and another solution is shes gonna die. Newt time think of all the solutions then pick the most probable one.
2007-03-28 13:21:38 · answer #4 · answered by FishFreak95 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it possible that he's just growing into his adult colors?
They can't change their sex, but what a male can do is avoid changing colour so he looks like a female - this will happen if there is a dominent male he does not want to attract attention from.
2007-03-28 12:32:23 · answer #5 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think the juveniles are purple the same as females but if you have a male it will turn yellowy orange as it matures.You need to make sure you don't have more than one male in your tank or they will really fight.It was probably a Male to begin with.
2007-03-28 12:30:16 · answer #6 · answered by Jackp1ne 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
she is just receiving her adult colors fish dont change sex only very few saltwater fish can
2007-03-28 15:16:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
nope, and i was gonna guess that even before the first guy told me jk lol
2007-03-28 13:40:57 · answer #8 · answered by michy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, only swordtails can change sex.
2007-03-28 11:50:28 · answer #9 · answered by Nathan L 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋
no, only swordtails can
the guy above me told me ;-)
its probably your water quality
2007-03-28 11:51:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋