Exotic Aquarium Fishes

[Thyra]

I mentioned this book a long time ago. It was first published in 1938 by Dr. Innes and is in at least its 19th edition. Mine is a 1965 edition. It contains a lot of good documentation and pictures and is almost 600 pages! It was in this book I read about female fish "morphing" into males. Although time has changed the way some things are done, there is still a lot of good information in this book. Here are a couple of the reviews from Amazon customers:

Amazon.com: Exotic Aquarium Fishes (The Innes Book): William T Innes: Books

There are used editions available very cheap. My edition was bought for one of the kids about 40 years ago and looks it!

 

[OrangeCones]

If anyone wants to read about this, look up protogynous hermaphroditism and protandrous hermaphroditism. It happens a lot in fish and other 'lower order' creatures.

It is one of the reasons why I have a harem of all female Badis badis. All have laid eggs in the past, so I know they are all female. I'm hoping one day to find the most dominant one is a male. We'll see!

 

[Thyra]

One of the interesting side lines is there is not record of a male turning into a female. Boys do not want to become girls - probably too much work being harasses by males and having babies!

 

[OrangeCones]

There are lots of fish that can change from male to female.

Amphiprion percula (common clownfish like Nemo) are male when they hatch and the dominant in a group will become female.

I had two juvies in an aquarium and they spawned as adults for about two years. I sold over 70 juvies over the years that were their offspring. For unknown reasons, the female stopped eating. Despite two weeks in a hospital tank, medications and even a visit to a vet (seriously), she died at about 3 yrs of age.

The male was now left alone, so I wanted to get another female. Easier said than done, as most are going to be male.

I decided I'd start over and get two juvies again, and see what would happen. They stayed in the hospital tank for a month (my normal QT routine). I then added the two younger fish. After about 3 months, my older (and still 2x the size) male paired up with one of the younger fish. They shared an anemone and defended 'their' home from others, including the other young clownfish. I removed the other clownfish and hoped to get fry again someday.

About 5 months later, they spawned. The older fish was still larger, and also had a scar so I knew which fish was which, but it was the older (was the male) fish that laid the eggs. HE had become the SHE in the relationship. They lived together with me in a 110gallon reef tank, spawned off and on for several years. I sold the pair a few years later when I moved and had to give up the tank.

 

[KcMopar]

I am waiting for one of my male clowns to turn female.