Can Triggerfish Change Sex?

[Gambit]

Recently I purchased a Bonded Pair of Blue Throat Triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus) from Divers Den. Unfortunately the male passed and I was left with the female only days after delivery. Just recently I noticed the females almost not so much blue throat, is now blue matching what the male looks like. Her tail fins edging is now bright yellow instead of orange. Can triggers change sex? Or may I might have ended up with a dominate male and a sub male that hasnt changed coloring?

DD picture:

cruddy camera picture from today (if you look closely you can see the blue throat)

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[revsgirl]

:bump2:

 

[MIKE NY]

I don't know about internally, but external coloration..yes.. My male blue throat lost all of it's coloration and looked like a female when it was getting bullied by my niger trigger.

 

[SeymourDuncan]

If the trigger bites you hard enough...I think its completely possible for a sex change....or did you mean the fish?

 

[STL]

I don't know if they change gender, but males can definitely lose their colors and revert to the female appearance. My little guy did this within a month and hasn't changed back - I suspect an evil green chromis is the cause, but I haven't been able to catch the chromis.

I added a female hoping he'd get his colors back, but that didn't happen. They got along just fine, but unfortunately she was lost to a tumor a few months back.

I certainly don't dare add another male. I'm hoping his colors come back as he gets bigger - he's now bigger than the evil chromis. But even if they don't, he's still a very cool and personable fish!