Anyone's Tomato Clown female refuse to bond again?

[DeathWish302]

Over the last 10 months, I have tried to find a mate to replace the carpet surfer for my Tomato female. I have went through two juvies, both of which were the smallest tomato I could get at the LFS. Both have eventually at the 3-4 month time have turned to female. My LFS did know that my initial pairing were from C-Quest, but did not know on the last two if the juvies were C-Quest or ORA. I'm really at a loss why the female would reject both potential mates I have presented. These guys are in my reef, so a rearranged aquascape to give both clowns a new environment is really not a possibility. Is it time to call it quits with this female and try again with a new pair of juvies? This has been extremely frustrating, since this female is the darkest orange I have seen and was turning out gorgeous babies. Both mates I have acquired have been a bit darker than occy or percs. Is it the bloodline that could be causing this compatibility issue???
:mad2::rolleye1:

 

[Heterodonut]

Seriously doubt it has anything to do with bloodline. Are you SURE the two replacements turned into females? Just because they fight does not mean they are the same sex. Sometimes partners in mated pairs will fight. If the female is that good, I'd buy a half dozen smaller tomatoes and let her pick her new mate over the course of a year or two.

 

[DeathWish302]

Seriously doubt it has anything to do with bloodline. Are you SURE the two replacements turned into females? Just because they fight does not mean they are the same sex. Sometimes partners in mated pairs will fight. If the female is that good, I'd buy a half dozen smaller tomatoes and let her pick her new mate over the course of a year or two.

I'm fairly positive as in the last two months the juvie has started gaining black patches in front of and behind 'her' white stripe. Unless the monti cap hosting the little guy is causing it, this is the tell-tale sign for me he is changing. We'll wait it out, but this potential mate has been in there since April and they just don't seem like they are even bonding.

:fish1::hammer:

 

[landlord]

What kind of behavior has the female shown towards the potentials? Have you tried any other techniques to bond the new arrivals with her? Perhaps in a separate tank with a eplexi divider so they can slowly warm up.

Just some thoughts...

Kurt

 

[rkelman]

I also doubt they turned female. She may have rejected them but that won't make them female. I would do as suggested start with a few and let her pick. Multiple choice is key here. Spread the hate

 

[DeathWish302]

I also doubt they turned female. She may have rejected them but that won't make them female. I would do as suggested start with a few and let her pick. Multiple choice is key here. Spread the hate

Well, I'll see if Ms. Digs-Alot warms up to the current resident a little longer. If no love blossoms in the next month, in swims the multiple juvies.

Spread the hate

I love that.....

 

[Heterodonut]

Also, your girl just may not be "in the mood for love". What is the temp? Have you ramped up their nutritional profile? What is the photoperiod? I was at a lfs last weekend-guy has a very large pair of cinniamon clowns in a display reef. This pair has been together for years in this large reef. The female was hosting a beautiful 12" crispa, the male was in a RBTA about 26" to 28" away. They rarely interacted. (BTW the two fish were wild caught as a pair from the same nem.) But I'd bet if he encouraged spawning by altering the points I mentioned above-they both start paying each other more attention as the female filled with eggs. All in all, I think you are going to have to give them more time. Every pair is different though. I've known pairs to not skip a beat with a change of partners (usually only if the female is spawning in a pattern that like a Swiss watch does not miss a beat), and I've know newly "formed" pairs go two years before they got down to business.

 

[DeathWish302]

The temp is usually 82-85 in the summer and 78-81 in the winter. The foods I have been feeding is astronomical in the last few weeks. I have just started to try feeding Julian Sprung's purple algae. I have picked up feeding blackworms in the last week. They receive NLS & Hikari Pellet, Omega 1 Marine Garlic/Veggie Flakes, Cyclopeeze, Daphnia & a homebrew of Table shrimp, mysis, mussels, clams, cod (soaked in lime and rinsed thoroughly), blue crab, nori, cyclopeeze & SFBay zooplankton. I haven't found a good source for fresh squid, so I figure the body parts from the clams & crabs make up for that. This is rotated daily to the next item on the list.

Photoperiod is 1pm-10pm. They fight furiously in the morning and right after lights out. It's like she's telling him to stay away today and stay out of my cave at night.

They did stop spawning when I leave for christmas to go back home, as I'm usually gone for ~16 days. I usually waited nearly 3 cycles (~1.5 months) before they continued. I accounted this to them only receiving flake and not having the same interaction as they were used to.

Good points that may be different for a different pairing. I have noticed the little guy does wait to eat when Ms. Digs-Alot is close. She is quick to crack the whip if he steals food, so maybe there is some mutual feelings started. Just much slower than I have experienced in the past.

Thanks!