Help CLOWNFISH down clownfish down

[MimicTang]

Tank has been up since september. clarkii's since thanksgiving.

Spawning pair of clarkiis (were spawning in another reefers tank)in probably as 30gal. Its a divided 55gal.

2 clarkii's where fine I had the tank hypo'd for bout 2 months. Fish seem fine. Tonight female is on the bottom?? Male picking or playing at her. I did add some salt slowly to raise the salinity in hopes they'dstart spawning. Wasnt more then a cup and all other fish seem fine.

[Dman]

did you add the salt directly to the water they play/live in?

[MimicTang]

nope.

I used a turkey baster and added water to a container and then sucked it out with the baster and put it into the HOT filter on the back. I repeated until the salt was all gone in the container. The filter is on the other side (divided) of there the clarkii's are. All fish on that side are fine.

[MimicTang]

I used a net to move the flower pot she was behind thinking maybe she was stuck? Almost the second she moved the male was after her? He hounded her back into the original spot?

[David M]

A few thoughts;

1) Are you sure you have the gender assignments correct? IME it is not unusual for a female clark to turn on her mate for no apparant reason. Clarkii's are usually similar in size and it's not inconcievable that the male could be the larger fish, especially if they are still young.

2) Hypo? Why? Sounds to me like there was a problem to begin with which could easily explain a dying fish.

3) Stress. It's a fairly new tank and there other fish present, and half a 55 is a crowded spot for an adult pair of clarks. IME and according to Hoff and others, it is usually the female that is first to go as even though they seem larger and stronger they are actually the ones who expend the most energy breeding and are in fact weaker.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head but hopefully you pulled her long before now, if not DO IT NOW !!! :)

[MimicTang]

I turned the lights off before reading this so. I'll check on her tomorrow.

The one being harassed is the female she's the bigger of the 2. Few days ago they where find thou?

Only other fish they see is a longnose hawkfish who kinda just hangs out in the same spot all day.

[MimicTang]

didnt know clarkii's didnt follow the size "rules"

[David M]

I'm just saying it's posible, not that it's likely. I have one pair that are so identicle I can really only tell them apart when they are actually spawning or he is tending a nest.

[MimicTang]

I moved the "down" clownfish to another section. Looking him he's got a few scales coming off and some pinkish markings on his sides. I fed them all after moving and he had a huge appetite. The little oscellaris thankfully stay outta his way. I assume the markigns are from the other Clarkii.

[MimicTang]

Sadly he died tonight =/ Man thats discouraging.