Female swordtail switching genders?

Salty&Onion · Apr 28, 2020

Hi all, I have done a water change in my 15 gallon and later on I have noticed that my female swordtail has grown a slight bumb, sword like, on her tail and she started hiding and breathing fast.
It is not normal for any of my fish to hide, unless they are about to give birth.
So I thought that she might be changing her gender to male, but I need someone to confirm this.

She's been growing this before, but hasn't been concerned.
_______

I had to catch her to make a photo because she's hiding and I cannot see her tail.

emeraldking · Apr 28, 2020

Or she´s changing into a male or it´s a late male... One of the options is the right one.

Salty&Onion · Apr 28, 2020

emeraldking said:
Or she´s changing into a male or it´s a late male... One of the options is the right one.

That's for sure, but I don't think so that she's a late male.

JuiceBox52 · Apr 28, 2020

I had one of my guppies that had already given birth change into a male so its possible for sure

Salty&Onion · Apr 28, 2020

JuiceBox52 said:
I had one of my guppies that had already given birth change into a male so its possible for sure

Yeah, I know. I have researched about this long time ago, and yeah, that's possible.

emeraldking · Apr 28, 2020

JuiceBox52 said:
I had one of my guppies that had already given birth change into a male so its possible for sure

Salty&Onion said:
Yeah, I know. I have researched about this long time ago, and yeah, that's possible.

Oh, absolutely... I totally agree...

Retired Viking · Apr 28, 2020

Swordtail have the whole gender thing under control, no 63 different recognized genders like humans. They are free to change, talk about an advanced species.

Salty&Onion · Apr 29, 2020

Retired Viking said:
Swordtail have the whole gender thing under control, no 63 different recognized genders like humans. They are free to change, talk about an advanced species.

I should press charges on her or put her to aquatic court then

kribensis12 · Apr 29, 2020

Did you ask she(it) how she(it) identifies? Easiest way to sex fish, I would say.

As others have said, this is a totally normal (abnormal to us) and long documented phenomena. I remember reading about it in a book published in the '60s by Herbert Axelrod.

JuiceBox52 · Apr 29, 2020

kribensis12 said:
Did you ask she(it) how she(it) identifies? Easiest way to sex fish, I would say.

As others have said, this is a totally normal (abnormal to us) and long documented phenomena. I remember reading about it in a book published in the '60s by Herbert Axelrod.

I identify as a fish :rofl:

Salty&Onion · Apr 29, 2020

kribensis12 said:
Did you ask she(it) how she(it) identifies? Easiest way to sex fish, I would say.

As others have said, this is a totally normal (abnormal to us) and long documented phenomena. I remember reading about it in a book published in the '60s by Herbert Axelrod.

She's transgender!! She never wanted to be a woman! I knew it! :rofl:

fish48 · Apr 29, 2020

it was never a woman it's probably a late developing male

Salty&Onion · Apr 29, 2020

fish48 said:
it was never a woman it's probably a late developing male

Maybe. Who knows? (Only God knows

)

kribensis12 · Apr 30, 2020

fish48 said:
it was never a woman it's probably a late developing male

I think this is highly unlikely, based on the body shape. That would be a very oddly shaped male. Again, frequently documented phenomena. I have seen females in my own tank give birth and then change into a male.

Though there are conflicting bits of information out there:

In favor of no gender change: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.2307/1539135

In favor of gender change: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/fishtree_07

Salty&Onion · Apr 30, 2020

Okay, an update, she is not hiding or breathing fast anymore. She's still got the bumb on her tail and it appears to be actually a bit bigger and no sight of gonopodium

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Female swordtail switching genders?

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