Where did my Clownfish Eggs go?

[mlsherrill]

Good Morning Everyone...

I have a pair of clownfish that just started spawning last month. We had our first event on March 18th and 8 days later they hatched.

We had our 2nd event on Thursday, April 2nd. When I left to go out of town on Saturday afternoon, all was well, but when I returned Sunday evening, the eggs were gone.

I have not yet determined whether I am going to attempt to raise the baby clownfish in the future. I ordered a copy of Joyce Wilkersons book and my husband informed me that it arrived this morning. I have a lot of research and learning to do before I make this decision.

My question for now is, where did the eggs go? What would make the parents get rid of them?

Thank you,
Michele

 

[landlord]

The parents may have eaten the eggs. It happens from time to time.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Could be a number of reasons, something ate them (( what other fish do you have in the tank ))? Sure the clowns are suppose to protect them, but I have watched a Mandarin pick off my Clarkii pair's eggs and they didn't do a thing.

Or (( and more likely )) they didn't get fertilized correctly, so the clowns eat them. (( or something else was "wrong" with the eggs ))

I wouldn't worry too much, that seems to happen with the first couple of batches.

 

[mlsherrill]

Shewww... that makes me feel so much better. I was afraid that it was something I had done wrong already. I'll try to be patient, although it is killing me.

I also have an Engineer Goby, 2 Zebra Dartfish, Yellow Tang and a Blue Chromis. I also had a beautiful Potters Angel that perished in an unfortunate rockslide the week before the last spawn.

I have some new rock that I want to cycle and add to the tank, and when I do, I will redesign the rockwork and anchor it. I didn't realize how big of a problem it would be before I got the Engineer Goby. I'm learning my lesson the hard way on this one.

I'm worried about doing anything to the tank now in case it will throw off the clownfish spawning cycle.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Sorry about the loss of the Potter's, I recently lost my Potter's pair while I was in the hospital unexpectedly.

I wouldn't worry too much about throwing off their spawning cycle -- at least after they have spawned a few more times. My clarkii pair will continue to spawn while I am doing a water change. And both them and my pink skunk pair will take a break from spawning to eat, and then go back to it. When I moved (( 3 years ago )) my Clarkii pair kept their 2 week schedule, they didn't seem to care at all.