Juveniles: hardly one inch-long, white with three black horizontal lines, transparent (almost invisible) fins.

Initial (or intermediate) female phase: afore-mentioned black bars turn brown and fade, while fins turn opaque.

Advanced Initial phase: body and fins gradually turn yellow while the lower longitunial brown line fades away (see sample amongst pictures below).

Terminal male phase: generally blue-green body with characteristic bright yellow patch aft pectoral fin fading backwards, mauve to amber-edged dorsal fin and tail fin, green-bordered purple-blue line straddles upper snout and runs sidewards across the eyes to fade towards the gill area.