I Think My Kenyi is a Transgender!

[Razor7Music]

I have had this fish since it was very small--maybe 1 inch. It was always blue--always female. Now it is about 6 inches, and I'm about 95% sure it has bred at least one fish that I still have.

Now, it's dorsal and tail are turning yellow! I have red top zebras and she looks nothing like that. In fact, she just started changing colors about 3 weeks ago! I've also had male kenyis and not only had they changed colors way earlier than this, their whole bodies turned yellow.

What gives? I've read that some dominant female cichlids can take on male colors, but why just her fins?

 

[Fish_Man_Dan]

I beleive that she is showing dominant colors, but i've heard of fish changing from female to male, even after having babies. because it is a female, it may not be capable of showing yellow on anywere but her fins...pics?

 

[Razor7Music]

I beleive that she is showing dominant colors, but i've heard of fish changing from female to male, even after having babies. because it is a female, it may not be capable of showing yellow on anywere but her fins...pics?

Wow, that's amazing. Well, she has started acting more agressive too. That would explain it.

Here's a photo.

Thanks for the info.

 

[EastCoast280]

looks just like my adult female Kenyi...watch it though cuz mine just had babies with my dominant male red top zebra. I thought mine was changing to a male also until she was holding babies.

 

[Razor7Music]

looks just like my adult female Kenyi...watch it though cuz mine just had babies with my dominant male red top zebra. I thought mine was changing to a male also until she was holding babies.

Yea, she had one baby with an P. Elongatus ornatus and it actually survived and is about 1.5" already. He's too small to fish out, but I'll be trading him out as I don't keep hybrids any more.

thanks,

 

[kingyella]

that picture you posted looks like a male, as these fish are juveniles they are all the purple/blue color, and the males morph when they get older. Sometimes it come early and sometimes it takes forever. mines didn't change into its male color until 4".