GSM clown pair separated...is this a bad thing?

[bureau13]

After an outbreak of marine velvet, I've removed all the survivors to a QT tank...save one. The blasted male Gold Striped Maroon clown is the bane of my existence. I thought the female would be trouble, but she was comparatively easy. I've tried most every trick in the "how to catch a clown" thread save the fish hook and draining the tank...and at 240 gallons...I'd prefer not to go that route. The problem is his anemone is attached on the underside of a rock most of the way down in a 36" deep tank. So, I can't reach it to do the surprise grab in the middle of the night. I tried pulling the rock up, but he was smart enough to go away when I tried that. He won't enter the trap to get food even though I haven't fed him any other way in a week. Some of the food floats out and he pounces on it, unless I invert the trap, in which case he ignores it. I hate this fish! Not really :-(

OK, all that and I'm just now getting to my question...the clown pair has been separated for almost a week now. When I do get the male out...and I will get him...will they still be a pair? Or will the much bigger female decide to fight him? For that matter...will he still be a him? I've read that if the female dies, the largest male takes over that role. How long does that take?

jds

 

[dantodd]

not likely to have any troubles in just a month or so. If you are worried you can always put the female's tank in his line of sight so they can keep an eye on each other.