Help "Love Triangle" Clowns

[wingnut247]

I have 3 orange Oc. Clowns in a 29 with live rock... couple kenya trees... 12 hermits and 2 snails... obvious size difference between the clowns. One (the female?) is twice the size of the other 2.

Today I came in and they are not all playing together... one of the smaller ones is off on his own and darker... not quite black but darker. Seems like he is stressed.

Does that mean the other 2 have paired up and / or mating?

Should I remove the 3rd wheel?

Also... I have had an outbreak of red slime (cyano?) I vacumed, put in a phos pack and did a 15% water change.

Cyano still hanging on. (I will siphon some more out today)


Well:
Is the dark colour likely to be related to stress or the cyano?


Thanks in advance...

 

[steve-s]

The dark color is probabley stress, the cyano will not be an issue unless you have alot of it. Even then I doubt it.

By the sounds of it, two have formed a pair. Whether or not they mate is a different story. I would suggest removing the "third wheel" as soon as possible. It won't be long before the pair actually start to injure it.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jsmkmavity]

what if he gets another small one would that make things worse or better?

 

[Elmo18]

Can't really make any guesses without....

When they were placed in there....how far apart...
What flow do you have in there....
Did you QT....

And ocellaris clowns can live in families, unlike GSM clowns that live singly as a pair in a specific host.

Best,
Ilham

 

[wingnut247]

when

The two clowns were puchased in october or so... they had already been together for at least few months or more in a private tank that was tore down. There was already a 2 to 1 size difference with those two. They seemed "paired"

Then I came across 3 more clowns(about 4-5 months ago)... put two in a different tank.... and the 3rd I put in with the original 2 clowns(cause that tank was larger and more established).

Flow is what I would call medium... not as high as a reef tank might be... but not as low as a fresh water tank.

Everything was cool... they'd all swim together and get along. Now they are not as close... only really near each other at feeding time.

The Female seems a little plump.... so I wondered if she is "grumpy" cause of spawning?

I dont see any eggs... but there is alot of rock in there. I put in a couple of flat shells that they like... but I dont see any eggs there either.

I only quarenteened the 2 smaller ones (put them in a tank that was not as cycled as I wanted it to be). but the third looked great (separate source that I trusted) ...and at the time I only had the pair of Oc. Clowns and a yellow clown goby in the tank. (not much to lose) ...and at the time no QT tanks cycled and ready. ...oh yeah and they were last minute... unplanned fish.

Update:

I have been keeping an eye on the 3rd clown... (don't rilly have a place for him right now) ...and things are OK. He is still darker then I think he should be. It'll be a while before I can safely move him.

 

[wingnut247]

the eagle has landed

My clowns have been "nesting" for a couple weeks now... cleaning and making dry runs on a rock in the back of the tank. Fresh eggs today! (do they always lay them on the underside of a rock? The female was looking a little chubby... I didnt say anything cause I didnt want her to feel bad. To be honest, I have been gone for a couple days and they could have laid them monday or tuesday. They are still in the community tank that is mentioned above... still have not moved the 3rd wheel (extra clown). But I'm very excited. The rock that they layed eggs on would be a real pain to remove.... so I'm thinking about setting up a spare 29 with live sand, old tank water, and a used filter sponge and moving the clowns to that.

Should I move them or pull the tricky rock?

When are they likely to lay again?

How long should I have the tank set up before I do?

 

[class clown]

sorry, I don't have any advice for you, but congrats! How exciting! I wish I had a maited pair.

 

[diablo]

when you move them to a new area they might not spawn for a few months due to stress of moving them to their own tank. for the most part as they settle down they will lay there eggs where ever they feel the eggs will be safe. They like a hard flat surface IMO. such as a ceramic pot or a tile. Is the rock that they are laying the eggs on nice and flat could be the reason why he are laying them there.

Are you going to try to raise the fry?

great job on some happy clowns every 2 weeks should be a new nest!
I finnaly got mine to spawn and 3 days after the first batch hatched they have a new nest in the same spot. soon I will be doing the same thing, and raising the fry. now if my percs would lay eggs I would be happy as could be

 

[wingnut247]

I'd like to

I'd like to raise clown fry.

I have raised Reidi Sea Horses to 8 months. I have a strong culutre of nano-chlr. green water. My rotifers have crashed (neglect during 6 months of seahorses taking a breeding break). I have a pod culture and hatch my own brine every other day.

I have the book "Clownfishes" by Joyce D. Wilkerson. I skimmed through it about a year ago when I purchased the clowns. (I need to re-read it)

The clowns have the nest on the underside of a 1/3rd of a tennisball sized cave, in a part of baserock, at the bottom of a liverock/reef pile and in the back corner of the tank.

I' m willing to wait for them to start up again (if they stop) after I move them... as long as they will start up again. I have the 29g and a 10 someplace for hatch/growout.... I'll find a couple of flowerpots for them. I need to find a source of a strong rotifer culture... and get things set up.

 

[Juanfer]

good luck in that lol!

 

[diablo]

there are a few people on the boards that have rotifers that live in washington. I shure someone will help you out with a start. sounds like you are on the right path. good luck!! if you got more questions dont be afraid to ask.

 

[wingnut247]

thanks

there are a few people on the boards that have rotifers that live in washington. I shure someone will help you out with a start. sounds like you are on the right path. good luck!! if you got more questions dont be afraid to ask.

Thanks... I have placed a post in the livestock wanted section.