“They’re all born male,” Matt said abruptly, appearing behind her. She turned part of the way, facing neither him nor the tank.
The tanks glowed in here. It was warm and dark, blue lights behind the glass. Over by the entrance stood a placard: Clownfish. Wend looked over at it and then gazed at the fish in the tank with their brightly colored orange scales. Some tucked themselves away in the anemones as they swayed with the current. She watched as one of them rowed in place in the water, seeming to observe her, too.
“Really? So how do they perpetuate the species?"
"The dominant one changes,” he said quietly with a smile.
Wend glanced at him briefly and then turned to face the tank fully again. “What if they’re alone?"
"If they’re alone for awhile, they become female."
"How long is awhile?”
More patrons drifted through. Some people with their kids. One girl in particular asked why it was called clownfish while her mother gently shushed her. The girl repeated her question. Wend glanced at them for a moment, also seeming to wait for her answer. The mom led her by the hand to the placard, slowly reading aloud to her, modeling an indoor voice while pointing to the tank. Lucky kid with that question. Her answers came plainly written on actual signs. Luckier mom, maybe.
Matt reflexively shrugged. “Few months give or take.” Wend smiled then. She turned again, hiding her face away. Slowly,the fish floated over to the other side of the tank, illuminated by the contours of the rolling current overhead.