Male or female?

[El_Guapo13]

Need help determining whether or not this Red Finned Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis) is a male or female.

I got as many pics as I could, but it's a wrasse. It moves. Fast. So several came out blurry even though it looked fine as I snapped the phone. These are the best ones I had.

I will try again later this evening once I am back home. It's my day off, and my brother has his kid (21 months old) for the weekend, so heck yeah I am spending all my free time spoiling the little poop monster!!!

 

[El_Guapo13]

Just realized I should probably hit up @evolved since he is the resident Lord of Wrasses.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Its a male

 

[evolved]

Yes, that's a male.

 

[El_Guapo13]

Its a male

Yeah, I wasn't sure as every other picture I see of a male of this species appear to have larger dorsal and pelvic fins. Thanks for the confirmation!!! Now if I could just find a female so I won't have to worry about this male losing it's color...

 

[evolved]

Now if I could just find a female so I won't have to worry about this male losing it's color...

It won't; don't do that:

'Pairing' Wrasses: That's Not How Any of this Works!

It is something I read often: “Where can I buy a female for my male ____ wrasse?” Or: “I want to buy another ____ wrasse and pair them up!” Wait! Time out for a minute! First, we really need some understanding of how wrasses interact and live...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[El_Guapo13]

It won't; don't do that:

'Pairing' Wrasses: That's Not How Any of this Works!

It is something I read often: “Where can I buy a female for my male ____ wrasse?” Or: “I want to buy another ____ wrasse and pair them up!” Wait! Time out for a minute! First, we really need some understanding of how wrasses interact and live...

www.reef2reef.com

I see. I read your other thread "All about reef safe wrasses", but not this one. Thank you for the information.

While we are on the subject of this wrasse, I saw on the reef safe wrasses thread that you had saud this species "can sometimes be aggressive with other Cirrhilabrus wrasses". But how is Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis with other wrasse genera? Say for instance, having a Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis with a Paracheilinus, like a P. filamentosus or P. cyaneus (or any of the others for that matter)?

 

[evolved]

While we are on the subject of this wrasse, I saw on the reef safe wrasses thread that you had saud this species "can sometimes be aggressive with other Cirrhilabrus wrasses". But how is Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis with other wrasse genera? Say for instance, having a Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis with a Paracheilinus, like a P. filamentosus or P. cyaneus (or any of the others for that matter)?

You should be okay with other genera, but if the tank is 75 gallons or smaller, it might be bit aggressive towards Paracheilinus.

 

[OrionN]

It is a rather aggressive Fairy wrasse. As small as he is, he is the boss of my 320 gal tank with larger Fairy and Flasher wrasses.