Clownfish pregnancy?

[falesdk]

How long is a female clownfish generally gravid (yes I know they don't technically get pregnant) before they lay their eggs?

My female has stopped eating, and is getting fatter by the day (day four no eating) So I'm assuming she is indeed getting ready to lay some eggs.

But i want to know at what point I should stop this assumption and take action to encourage her to feed. I may not need this info, but I'd hate to wait 9 days to have her die on the tenth!

 

[NirvanaFan]

they should be eating more when they are geting ready to lay eggs. I would try to get her to eat very soon. My female eats a lot more since she has started laying eggs.

 

[falesdk]

Thats definately contrary to what I have heard about the female, I've heard that they will eat less or not at all, while getting fatter, at least for the first few layings. The male on the other hand during this time will eat more in preparation for his turn to eat less to not at all while he takes care of the eggs.

Have I been misinformed?

 

[NirvanaFan]

I'm not sure if you have been misinformed.

I've only had experience with one pair of false percs. I noticed the female becoming more aggressive (she attacks my hand if it's in the tank now), eating more (the male started to eat more too), and then they started clearing a spot on the rock.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Both my Clarkii female and pink skunk female will eat the same amount ( if not more ) right before spawning. Heck, my female clarkii will even eat during the middle of a spawn.

(( both are in different tanks ))

 

[falesdk]

I don't know, shes always been the most aggressive eater in the tank. They've been cleaning rocks for two of the three years they've been together, so thats no real indicator, and they always attack my hands when put in the tank because I hand feed them.

I just don't want to stress her out by waving food in her face, if shes preparing to lay eggs.

I know that these things will vary from species or even fish to fish, but even a generalized idea (3-6 days or something) between visible fatness of the belly and egg laying would be helpful.

 

[NirvanaFan]

I can't really tell when my female has eggs. She doesn't really noticably ballon up like some people say they do. If they have been together in a good stable environement without much aggression towards them, I'm surprised they haven't layed eggs already. It took mine just over a year after I got them before they laid eggs for the first time.

I would try to get her to eat. Which is better, a fish that delayed egg laying for a while, or a dead one? Try giving her some of her favorite food.

 

[rkelman]

Mine eats the same right up to the spawn. She looks fat I'd say 2 days before spawn day. I don't think 4 days is enough to worry about too much. A healthy fish should be able to go a week without any problem. That being said I would try getting her to eat a little. You can't force her to eat so don't get too aggressive with it.

 

[falesdk]

Well I decided to give her one more night, before I started spraying food in her face with a dropper. I just got home from work and...We have an ovipositor!

 

[rkelman]

Cool! Just don't crowd her. I'd stay out of the room or at least far away from the tank. You don't want to spook her.

 

[falesdk]

Well its still 5 hours from lights out...I'm trying to not go stare at her! Luckily I generally sit in my chair and watch tv about ten feet from the tank, so I think I'm far enough away that it won't bother them. But we'll see..

My only real question right now is I feed at about an hour till lights off every night, should I skip this feeding to let them do what they want to do? Or continue business as usual. I'm willing to try to get closer to the tank later on when they've had more practice, but I'm unsure about this first time.

 

[rkelman]

Don't change your routine.

 

[falesdk]

Alright thanks a lot!