clownfish sex change?????

[JOER0178]

i think one of my clarkii clowns is becoming a female. i read that females have white tails w/ yellow stripes. i noticed yesterday that my clarkii was developing yellow stripes on its tail and the middle was fading, i guess to white. well i hope if she is becoming a female that she will finally except the male and let him into the BTA. ill keep my fingers crossed.

[reefman_MC]

You'll know if they except one another when they shimmy. They'll will get in front of one another and shake. It's almost like a vibration. Keep us posted.

[Craig Manoukian]

You will also see a noticeable size difference as the females are larger. She may "beat" him into submission to establish her dominance, so don't be alarmed. Nature ain't pretty at times, eh?
'
Just be glad she's not your date!

[reefman_MC]

My male in my ocellaris pair barely grows, but the female grows super fast. She gets all the food and lets him have bare minimum.

[JOER0178]

they already do that (the shimmy that is) but he never goes near the BTA. *He seems to like the brain coral at night but in the daytime he doesn't go near it. *I dont know if she will not let him near the BTA or if he has no intrest in going near it but either way. *Also, I heard that clarkii clownfish are weird in that the male can often be as big as the female. Another weird thing about clarkii clowns that I read is that sometimes the male could become a female even when there is another female present. I read this stuff in the book "Clownfish".

[reefman_MC]

How big is your BTA?

[JOER0178]

it gets to be about 10in at times maybe alittle bigger

[reefman_MC]

Your female clown must just be mean then. If they're shaking in front of one another I see no reason why he can't go in the anemone. Maybe they'll work it out.

[JOER0178]

i noticed last night that he has started to get closer and i use that term very loosely. i also saw them both once or twice pick at the same piece of bare rock near the anemone, like a tang does when it grazes. And were "fighting" alot more then usual. Maybe there ready to mate, ill keep my fingers crossed

[reefman_MC]

Sounds like they're about to lay eggs if they're cleaning a rock.