Changing Sex

[jmkgreen]

So I had my young female molly (just gave birth) and a male. The other female was deformed and died. I went down the specialist LFS and asked for a couple extra females to keep the male entertained. Two if their staff verified they were definitely female, although clearly very young (2-3 cm).

One month on, both of these appear now more like males. Indeed they are now flexing their gonpodiums and "poking" both each othey and the female. Can these fish change sex as they age or what?

Unless you can tell me otherwise, I'm going to have to send these two back in favour of older females I think.

 

[Somethings Fishy Here]

I've heard of livebearers changing sex in a single sex environment but have never witnessed any such occurence.... they either were t young to sex or perhaps did change sex, either way rather than waiting for them to maaaaybe change to females I'd just go exchange them.

 

[Annastasia]

They can't change sex. Most likely, since you said they were young, they were just late developing males. It happens a lot. And it's nearly impossible to tell which ones are going to male and female until they are fully grown. With Mollies, they are mature at about a year.

You definitely have males now, they won't "change" back. So if you want females, you'll have to exchange them.

 

[Ddraig Goch]

There are some people who believe that Swordtails can change sex, (female to male), at a time when there are no males present so as to ensure the survival of their species, others believe that they are just late developing males. I have never heard of this in any other live bearing fish apart from Swordtails.

The LFS shouldn't have a problem with you returning the fish to be replaced with females as you specifically asked for females.

 

[widgetuk]

It is true
i used to show livebearers in the 70s and 80s also was a show judge
and i used to take all males out of tank and feed well and just wait as soon as i had a male he would be taken out also and fed well the benefit with this is the female as a bigger chest and made a great looking male i only did this with sailfins never tried with any other type of livebearers
give it a try you might be suprised

 

[BWBettas]

ive always thoght it was late developing males becauseive never encountered such a starnge obsessity