Question about the checkerboard/hortulanus wrasse

[cdemoss01]

Hello,
I've owned a checkerboards wrasse now for a few years. I recently learned when it's a juvenile it's white however when it becomes an adult it changes color to a blueish green. Does anyone have experience with this happening and how long does it take?
Thanks
Cam
#reefsquad

 

[tbrown]

So with any wrasse, it kinda is determined by the individual wrasse. Some factors such as age will definitely cause it to change faster.

You'll start noticing subtle changes before it fully transitions.

My leucoxanthus took about a year to fully transition but I got her when she was only about an inch and she was almost 4" when she started transitioning.

 

[cdemoss01]

So with any wrasse, it kinda is determined by the individual wrasse. Some factors such as age will definitely cause it to change faster.

You'll start noticing subtle changes before it fully transitions.

My leucoxanthus took about a year to fully transition but I got her when she was only about an inch and she was almost 4" when she started transitioning.

I've had mine for 3 years now..

 

[i cant think]

Hello,
I've owned a checkerboards wrasse now for a few years. I recently learned when it's a juvenile it's white however when it becomes an adult it changes color to a blueish green. Does anyone have experience with this happening and how long does it take?
Thanks
Cam
#reefsquad

How big is yours?

 

[cdemoss01]

Hello,
I've owned a checkerboards wrasse now for a few years. I recently learned when it's a juvenile it's white however when it becomes an adult it changes color to a blueish green. Does anyone have experience with this happening and how long does it take?
Thanks
Cam
#reefsquad

How big is yours?

I couldn't say exact.. but it's around 5-6 inches.

 

[tbrown]

I had a fully transitioned male melanurus in my tank already - one of the environmental factors that can sometimes help...

 

[cdemoss01]

I had a fully transitioned male melanurus in my tank already - one of the environmental factors that can sometimes help...

Interesting.. so I have to try and make his environment better by either adding a predator or giving him a reason to transition basically?

 

[cdemoss01]

Interesting.. so I have to try and make his environment better by either adding a predator or giving him a reason to transition basically?

Not a predator a competitor.

 

[tbrown]

Interesting.. so I have to try and make his environment better by either adding a predator or giving him a reason to transition basically?

No, you just have to have patience young padawan.

 

[tbrown]

Not a predator a competitor.

That sometimes works but not always. You do have the Wrasse Expert here though so he may offer better advice than me.

 

[cdemoss01]

Not a predator a competitor.

That sometimes works but not always. You do have the Wrasse Expert here though so he may offer better advice than me.

Only thing is I'm almost content with the amount of fish in there currently so I'm not gonna do that.

 

[i cant think]

I couldn't say exact.. but it's around 5-6 inches.

The transition should begin around now, the main sign to watch for is the facial patterning changing. That’s generally the start.

 

[cdemoss01]

The transition should begin around now, the main sign to watch for is the facial patterning changing. That’s generally the start.

Interesting.. I'll look for it. I'm gonna start feeding better food. LRS frozen

 

[cdemoss01]

@i cant think here is a photo of him

 

[Rocks reef]

I'm just showing up for the bat signal.
@tbrown and @i cant think have this nailed down with great information!

 

[i cant think]

@i cant think here is a photo of him

Yep she’s beginning to mature, the transition to full male wont be for a while though - Juvenile to adult Female is the first stage to this process. Generally once closer to 7-8 inches that’s when you’ll have the male transition stage.

 

[salty joe]

I got mine when it was barely an inch long and had the false eye on it's dorsal area. It took maybe a year and a half to transition, at which point he became a real jerk. He made it his mission to bully a pair of diamond gobies to death. A very smart fish-was hard to catch. I'll never own another!

 

[cdemoss01]

Yep she’s beginning to mature, the transition to full male wont be for a while though - Juvenile to adult Female is the first stage to this process. Generally once closer to 7-8 inches that’s when you’ll have the male transition stage.

Thank you. How long and what diet?

 

[Sean Clark]

Here is a pic of mine. I never really noticed it before, but it does have some blue/green starting to show on its head.

 

[cdemoss01]

Here is a pic of mine. I never really noticed it before, but it does have some blue/green starting to show on its head.

Oh man that's cool.