Re: Sex change in Apisto nijsenni

[Steve <hutchins.33@osu.edu>]

I got another response from someone else on the list who had a similar
experience, also with nijsseni!  I think this is very interesting.  It is
certaintly nothing I have ever seen in other apistos.  I wonder if
pandurini will see similar observations when we have kept it for a while?

At 05:30 PM 3/16/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Steve wrote:
>
>> I know this is unheard of, but has anybody else ever heard of sex changes
>> in apistos?  I'm asking because I have a pair of Apisto nijsenni that I've
>> had for about a year and a half.  When they were younger I got a number of
>> viable spawns from them.  However, in the last few months the female has
>> put on quite a growth spurt, to the point where she now approaches the size
>> of the male (almost 2 and 1/4 inches), and her coloring has changed too!
>> She has a lot more blue on her and the black spot mid body is almost
>> nonexistant.  The large spots on the gills are narrowed down to lines also.
>>  Another thing that I've noticed only recently is the fact that they are
>> displaying to eachother like two males, inverted angled posturing while
>> flaring gills!  If everybody thinks I'm whacko I'll understand, but I think
>> this is very strange.  Any input would be appreciated!
>>
>> STeve
>
>One of the Apisto keepers in my area, Ken Nordby, observed a sex reversal in
>nijsseni.  I believe the male died and one of the the two remaining females
>changed into a male.  I got some of the subsequent offspring.
>
>Perhaps this is something characteristic to nijsseni (or the complex)
instead of
>to all Apistos.  At least it's interesting that both of these experiences
>involved nijsseni.
>
>--Randy
>
>
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