Sexing Tomato Clown

[Imperial]

I want to try breeding my tomato clown. My question is, how can I tell if I have a male or female?

thanks

 

[Cougra]

All clowns are born male and the most dominant one will turn female. The female is the largest of the pair. In theory if you have to young male clowns, they will pair up and one will become the female and the other will become the breeding male. However, it's possible that the female can still reject the male.

 

[rookie]

cougra is correct, If you have kept your current tomato in your tank by itself for more than six week it is now definitely a female.. your quest should begin by finding a male...

 

[cheeks69]

Clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites. They are hatched as sexually immature fish. Based on signals from their environment and being physically mature (12-24 months) they will either remain sexually immature, change into a male or change into a male then female. This is a one way trip, sexless to male never to be sexless again and male to female never to be male again.

A clownfish kept by its self will become a female in a short period of time if it is physically mature, in as little as a month.

Two female clowns will fight. The tell tale sign that you have two females is fighting ending in the two locking their mouths together.

Awesome info on pairing clowns

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=215098

 

[angnak]

If a clownfish is sexually mature (say the fish is 15 months old) and has turned into a male and you put this little guy in your tank by himself, will he turn into a female? The reason why I ask is because I had this situation and introduced a larger clownfish thinking it was a female and they never fought and bonded but never had babies? Were they both female? Or does it depend on the enviroment? Or did the "female" turn out to be the male?

 

[cheeks69]

Originally posted by angnak
If a clownfish is sexually mature (say the fish is 15 months old) and has turned into a male and you put this little guy in your tank by himself, will he turn into a female?

This is a one way trip, sexless to male never to be sexless again and male to female never to be male again.

 

[Imperial]

ok so more that likely the one that I've had in my tank for 10 months has already turned into a female and hopefully it will not reject the male I introduce.

thanks

 

[EdgeKrusher]

Hopefully. It could reject the new clown just because Clown fish are territorial by nature. The new clown could be seen as a threat, or just as a trespasser and be rejected. It depends upon the temperment of the clown, each is different.