Swordtails

[specks]

I know that female swordtails can turn into males but does it work the other way? The reason I am asking is that a few weeks ago I took two swordie fry (well they were about 10 weeks old) from my sons tank & put them with mine. One of them has become male even though I already had a male. The younger male is now after both my females & the elder of the two isnt very happy about it. My son kept one youngster as it had survived in his tank with no assistance from us (he gave the rest away) after his remaining swordie gave birth she became a he. I am wondering if I were to put my younger male back in his tank would one of them revert to being female again? I dont want any fights for supremecy among the males.

 

[afireinside]

maybe and maybe not. in some fishes, if the fish changes gender, it usually stays that way. but in some rarer fishes, it can change back and forth, depending what type it is.

 

[bluefire]

it is probably just developing late, it can happen after a few months sometimes

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

He is most likely just a late developer which is quite common in livebearers, if he is in a tank with another adult male and females i would move him quickly as unlike most other livebearers where disputes with males in mixed gender tanks can be sorted out with adding more females, it is very difficult to have 2 males co-exist in the same tank with females with swordtails and they will most likely fight each other to the death over time.

 

[paulthegreat]

I have never heard of them switching back to female. I believe that once they are male they stay male. It can happen that a female will turn to a sterile male if the change is made at a later stage.