Female Saulosi's

[maxib]

Hi everyone, i have a fish i believe is a female Saulosi that i purchased over a year ago. I purchased it with four others ( all female). In the breeders tank was only Saulosi (to the best of my knowledge) so i believed they where pure. For the first year this fish has the correct color. Now over the past few months ive noticed this fish has taken out a spot, will defend its territory and is lip locking alot with my male saulosi. The fish in question also has dveloped a black stripe on the dorsal fin which i have noticed dissapears occasionaly and returns again. The parents of the fish where definately Saulosi i saw them. Can this happen in female Saulosi. I am asking before i remove a whole bunch of rock, make a tank blocker and stuff around trying to catch it. Thanks

[none]

Most likely a sub-dominant male

[DFishkeeper]

Only way to be sure is to catch it out and vent sex it.

However, it is not uncommon for some dominant female mbuna to colour up with a paler version of the male colouration and hold their own territory.

I read an Ad Konings quote somewhere where he described observing this behaviour, and I have experienced it myself with saulosi.

In fact, I have a young adult colony of saulosi now where I have removed the male to stop them breeding as I have plenty of fry already, and the largest of the females is now doing exactly this. And I am positive this one is a female from vent sexing.

Cheers, Doug

[Josh]

I have had females become dominate/sub-dominate in my tanks when i kept them. Some even had faint black barring. Do what Doug has said and remove her and vent the fish to be sure

[Buccal]

Yep also seen many of times strange things happen to females in these circumstances.

Its almost as if they're acting like a species type of fish that changes sexes, I truly believe it's part of a practice that's either in their history of evolution or maybe evolutionising now in some type of adaptation mode (happening in lakes).

Ive had Dimi.compressiceps female get pointed finnage and got color up to 60% of male intensity when no males were present, and I know definitely she was breeding, split tail fin that wouldn't heal.

And even more bazar,, my awesome red cap lethrinops male jumped the tank and left me with only male that's old grandpa with slight waisting and color loss, got five little guys in the tank growing up, but the best form chunky good breeder female turned male bright out of this world colors,,, not male, male colors,,,, it craps all over other people's males I've seen before lol.

Shes sitting there right now full color spread fins but still chunky fat female shape looking.