clowns keep eating their eggs?

[ezhoops]

My latest pair of Ocellaris, I've had them for about 5 months and so far they have spawned twice in the past few weeks. this is an older pair, I know they are at least 6 years old in captivity (they are wild caught) Well, they have laid somewhat small clutches about 30 eggs in each. Each time they have slowly eaten them over about 3-4 days. I know I could easily remove the clay pot and solve the problem but I would like them to stay in the tank for a little bit.

What do you suggest? Should I just be patience and hopefully the egg eating will end?


Thanks

 

[elegance coral]

What and how often are you feeding?

 

[OrionN]

If the egg turn bad (cloudy up) instead of continue to developed, the clowns will remove them. With only 30 eggs to start with, it is likely that your clowns are not in shape for a healthy and normal clutches. For clowns, it is not necessary to feed them frozen food. Good flake food (or mixture of several) are what they need to breed well in my experience.

 

[ezhoops]

Well admittedly I should probably feed more often. I feed New life Spectrum color enhancer pellets, rods food (orange) rods fish eggs, rods mysis. I try to feed at least twice a day but some days I'm not home and skip a day and other days once a day. I know I should feed more.

I've noticed that about 8 made it to hatching today so at least its getting better.

if I feed more will clutch sizes increase?

 

[elegance coral]

They may. I probably skip a day about once a month. Things happen. Still, my clowns spawn every two weeks like clock work. The clowns could simply be getting old and nearing the end of their reproductive years?????

 

[rkelman]

If they just started laying its completely normal for them to eat the eggs. If they were mine I wouldn't even give it a second thought. Just feed well and give them time. The clutch size will likely go up in time too.

 

[ezhoops]

well, I've upped the feedings and they did leave about 8 eggs that hatched, unfortunately I wasn't prepared to raise them. Its summer and I'm in and out of town almost every few days so.......hopefully they will keep spawning till things slow down for me.