Supermale wrasses. Can someone elaborate?

[4FordFamily]

Okay I understand that a group of wrasses can have more than one male and sub males. In a tank full of different male fairy wrasses, what makes one super or not? Can one lose super male status?

Always wondered.

 

[Rob.D]

Think of them as silverback gorillas of the reef :D

 

[WetWhistle]

It is the most dominant male out of the group. It typically has the brightest color and is the biggest. It will get top choice of the females. Normally if another male beats the super male it dies. At least in my experience.

 

[hybridazn]

The supermale is the one that basically runs stuff lol. All others are lower on the pecking order

 

[eatbreakfast]

A supermale is a hobbyist term for a fully terminal phase male. This wrasse will have reached the pinnacle of it's coloration, basically ultra grade. In the wild there will be a terminal phase male, some initial phase males, some submales and a bunch of females and juvies. In most cases there will be many of these groups together.

Oftentimes, online and at stores regular males are sold as terminal phase males.

Usually if there are multiple super male wrasses they will coexist if they are not the same species or too closely related, but there are always exceptions.

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks everyone this is what I thought the term meant!

 

[1.0reef]

You can keep multiple "Supermale" wrasse of different species, in reality it's just a terminal male.

 

[buzzword]

Marketing strategy. SUPER MALE sounds better, more exciting, makes you want to whip out your wallet faster than, terminal phase male does.
Buzzwords (pun intended), nicknames and Photoshoping all part of the strategies of this hobby to maximize the profit.