Sex change of live bearers, true?

[yhbae]

I've been reading some messages on thie board that in some cases, young male fries of platies can change their sex and become a male. Has anyone actually observed this?

I find this hard to believe... (and curious!)

 

[puckbag]

this is not true. females cannot change into males. in the early stages of the babies like for swordtail they do not get the swords on there tail till well after being alive. i have had some almost a year old before they get there swords on there tails

 

[Wisperian]

That is sooo not true! females can soooooo turn into males! usually, those are called "Undeveloped Males" which are actually males in the form of a female then develope a gonopodium when they're older

 

[yhbae]

That is sooo not true! females can soooooo turn into males! usually, those are called "Undeveloped Males" which are actually males in the form of a female then develope a gonopodium when they're older

Ok, so that means all fries are destined to become one when they are born. In some cases it takes longer time to show true sex - correct?

What I am hearing is that if you have a group of only female platy fries, some of them could turn into male. Could this be possible?

 

[sunflower]

No, I dont think that's the case. They are, whatever they are and that doens't change. I have heard that some livebearers can change sex but, no, Platies can't.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

When I first bought my swordtails, there were 2 males, 3 females. The females gave birth about 3 or 4 times, then, to my surprise, suddenly stopped giving birth and developed into males. I know this is hard to believe, but its true. It seems like a lot of my fish turned out wierd, because Ive had sex-change swordtails and a siamese-twin swordtail as well (which lived for a about 3 months, then died)
Sean

 

[yhbae]

When I first bought my swordtails, there were 2 males, 3 females. The females gave birth about 3 or 4 times, then, to my surprise, suddenly stopped giving birth and developed into males. I know this is hard to believe, but its true. It seems like a lot of my fish turned out wierd, because Ive had sex-change swordtails and a siamese-twin swordtail as well (which lived for a about 3 months, then died)
Sean

Wow that is a surprise...!

 

[Final Dynazty]

Yeah I heard that they can have a sex change.