# Taiwan Reef, young male not coloring or just a female?



## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

I picked up a juvi a few months ago about 1 1/2 inches with not even a bit of coloring on him. He was sold to me as a vented male. Here we are today about 2 inches long, 1 scale on the head is blue and still no red on the anal fin and I'm getting worried that I might have a female on my hands.

The anal fin has been getting darker but no still no red. did notice 1 egg spot

My question is was he/she too small to be vented and is he/she too small now to be vented successfully now? And should, if it is a male, be showing more color by now. :-?

There are no aggresion problems, 75 gallon, weekly PWC, 1640 gph of water flow, tank mates mostly peacocks, few haps, few blue dolphins.

thanks for the feed back.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

At 1.5" the fish was to small to vent in the first place. Everytime I have ever tried venting small fish everything looked male.

For your type of fish males should color up between 2"-3". That beign said some males may never color up because of other tankmates.

Dont pay attention to the egg spots. They are not a good indicator of sex.

I would wait another 3 to 4 months and if it hasn't colored up try and vent it yourself.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

^^^good advice. Too small to vent at 1.5". Just wait and continue to feed and do regular water changes and keep water well oxygenated. All this helps speed growth a bit.

Can you post a pic?


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

13razorbackfan said:


> ^^^good advice. Too small to vent at 1.5". Just wait and continue to feed and do regular water changes and keep water well oxygenated. All this helps speed growth a bit.
> 
> Can you post a pic?


I'll try to post one when I get home later tonight, at work now. :lol:


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

sorry it took so long but just took these. please let me know what you think? still about 2" maybe 2 1/4"


Taiwan reef juvi yawn 1 by al7601, on Flickr


Taiwan reef juvi 3 by al7601, on Flickr


Taiwan reef juvi 1 by al7601, on Flickr


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Still hard to say. I still don't think they could have properly vented when it was 1.5". Usually mine start coloring around 2.5-3". Some a bit sooner. It is just hard to say...if I were forced to guess I would say female.


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

thanks for the feed back, I know its hard to tell considering the size. there are some blue scales near the gill on the head which aren't visable in these photos.

any other takers with experience want to take a shot?


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## stayfrosty (Mar 31, 2011)

It will take time my reef is 3.5 inch and only has a little blue in face


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The fish does look like it has a little color in the dorsal. Might be the pic thou. If there are larger fish in the tank it is not surprising that this fish has not colored up much at all.

Does this fish always look like this? Taiwan Reef usually have darker thicker bars and don't show so many close together, but the H patterns are typical.


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

noki said:


> The fish does look like it has a little color in the dorsal. Might be the pic thou. If there are larger fish in the tank it is not surprising that this fish has not colored up much at all.
> 
> Does this fish always look like this? Taiwan Reef usually have darker thicker bars and don't show so many close together, but the H patterns are typical.


yeah, thats his/her's typical look. the H pattern used to be much more pronounced when I first got him. you are correct with the dorsal fin showing slight color, not red but what used to clear has been getting darker over the past month.

there are larger guys in the tank but he/she is never shy and is always swimming in the middle of the tank and one of the first ones up come feeding time. I can't ever remember him hiding.


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## repeter (Dec 11, 2011)

13razorbackfan said:


> Still hard to say. I still don't think they could have properly vented when it was 1.5". Usually mine start coloring around 2.5-3". Some a bit sooner. It is just hard to say...if I were forced to guess I would say female.


I'd have to agree but leaning on the female side


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Give it some more time. I have several hap / peacock males that are 2" long and theyre just starting to show a little color in their bodies. Gotta have patience.

Heres my Taiwan Reef at about 3 1/2".


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

Just wanted to update this thread with the same fish. He/she has made some progress, now at 3-3 1/4". As you can see the red is now more pronounced on the anal fin. Still lacking much blue in the head. I'm still not sure about this one. :-?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Its a male. What are you feeding your fish?


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## Sidius (Mar 3, 2012)

From these newest pics, it looks male to me. I've never had a Taiwan reef though, so I'll admit that I'm no expert.


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

13razorbackfan said:


> Its a male. What are you feeding your fish?


mostly NLS mixed in with the occasional spirulina flakes


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

al7601 said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > Its a male. What are you feeding your fish?
> ...


He looks like he is started to color. Just keep feeding him good foods and water changes. I just ordered a male myself and his anal fin is all yellow. He is more colored than yours but still a very young adult.


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