Female Salousi Turning Into Male?

[Go_fish]

Hmmm - picked up 4 salousi about 2 weeks ago, 1 male (fully blue/black) and 3 females (completely yellow). They are all about 1.5" in length. As I am totally new to mbuna, I do not know at what size the fish should show their final colours, but perhaps someone can help me?

I noticed today that one of my 'females' is developing some black on the fins, and looking slightly darker around the chin. Also noticed some very faint vertical barring. So, sounds like it's a male?? Why hasn't it developed the colour at the same time as the other male?

I am hoping the LFS (Maidenhead Aquatics branch) will agree to swap the fish without charge, as I only got it about 2 weeks ago ...

 

[Druchii]

every fish is different go fish... like every person grows at different rates and goes through 'peuberty at different ages' its the same with fish.. it is not uncommon for several saulosi that are purchased as 'yellow females' to develop and turn into males..

the dominant fish in the tank will of course be male, but the others that are male will try and hide 'showing' these colours until as late as possible as otherwise it would 'draw unwanted attention' to them from the dominant male..

the black bits however do not guarantee that the fish will be male... it can be down to a factor of things, genes past breeding history etc etc.. are these black bits visible 24/7 or only if or when the fish is excited or angry? as these can commonly appear on stressed females....

the changing process can take a few weeks, i would not lose hope just yet, wait and see if it develops further..

hope this helps a little


Dru.
Oh PS. my dominant female shows a little dark barring and the very front of her dorsal fin is nearly always black, and btw my WC female also shows a little barring when excited or angry and stressed .

 

[Go_fish]

every fish is different go fish... like every person grows at different rates and goes through 'peuberty at different ages' its the same with fish.. it is not uncommon for several saulosi that are purchased as 'yellow females' to develop and turn into males..

the dominant fish in the tank will of course be male, but the others that are male will try and hide 'showing' these colours until as late as possible as otherwise it would 'draw unwanted attention' to them from the dominant male..

the black bits however do not guarantee that the fish will be male... it can be down to a factor of things, genes past breeding history etc etc.. are these black bits visible 24/7 or only if or when the fish is excited or angry? as these can commonly appear on stressed females....

the changing process can take a few weeks, i would not lose hope just yet, wait and see if it develops further..

hope this helps a little


Dru.

Oh PS. my dominant female shows a little dark barring and the very front of her dorsal fin is nearly always black, and btw my WC female also shows a little barring when excited or angry and stressed .

Thanks for the info Druchii. My 'female' only has black bits on her underfins and not on her dorsal. I guess I could give it another week or 2 to see what develops - no signs of any agressions or anything yet. I will monitor her over the next few days and see if the barring & black are fluctuating or constant.