Baby Fuzzy Dwarf Lion... Male or Female?

[AndyR83]

Hi,

I picked up this fuzzy dwarf lionfish about a week ago to join my snowflake eel, chainlink eel, dog face puffer, and 6” blue spotted watchman. I think it’s a baby, but this is my first time keeping one and I’m truthfully not certain. It’s about one inch long. I’ve read about sexing based on number of stripes on pectoral fins and was wondering if anyone has any insight into whether this is a male or a female. I know it seems like it should be pretty obvious, but I’m wondering if what I’m counting as a stripe is really a stripe (if that makes sense?)

 

[lion king]

You can not definitvely sex them until over 4". 6 distinct rings mean male. At this size the ring structure looks female but as they grow they will develop more rings. If he is only 1", that would include the tail, the likelihood is that this one will develope into a male. They do not change sexes, they just don't mature until over 4".