9 Year Old Female Percula Clownfish

[tylersarah]

I've had a spawning pair of Percula Clownfish for 9 years, up until about a week ago when the male passed. Since they would breed weekly, what will happen to her now that she's solo? Will she stop producing eggs? Is it possible to find her a new male?

It's more complicated than it seems. I had parasitic worms break out in the display tank and all fish went to QT, there Mrs. Clown attacked and would have killed Mr. Clown had I not separated them at 4 AM. He died four days later from his injuries. So, my first question would be, what causes clownfish to attack, stress only? And after QT treatment what's the best path for her?

One important question I have...will her pregnant belly decrease in size over time because the male is no longer around? I am concerned she's carrying internal worms, I have treated externally and in the intestinal tract - that's all I can do.

Sarah

 

[tylersarah]

Here's an update - The clown's belly is decreasing in size, I'm starting to assume it's because she's not pregnant and maybe isn't carrying parasites internally (you know, I really need to see what her poo looks like). Also, now that she's solo her coloring is changing. She's loosing her black, especially in the mid section - it's receding from both the top and bottom and looks like it will meet in the middle.

 

[tcmfish]

If you can get her a little male as soon as possible, she will probably pick right back up. By male I mean a little clown.

 

[tylersarah]

Any idea why she felt the need to attack the last one after 9 years of laying eggs together?

 

[tcmfish]

No, are you sure she did it?

 

[tylersarah]

Yes, she was carrying him across the tank in her mouth and that's when I separated them. The male, being smaller willingly passed through the mesh to be close to her despite the vicious behavior. I built a better mesh divider and he died from a fungal infection 4 days later.

 

[tylersarah]

I added a small percula to the clown's QT and things are going well. I saw the new fish submit to the female when she charged him and now the new clown is moving closer and closer to the female's domain. Today I saw both of them synchronize their swimming with the new fish being quite close, then the female decided she had enough and swam back up to the corner.