Possible clown fish eggs?

[damselindistress]

I just found these little orange beads swirled up in a little detritus area in my bare bottom tank - are they clown fish eggs? I have a pair of clowns that are about 3.5 yrs old, they've been together in my tank since Oct of 2017 when they were very small. I see the shaking and twitching behavior and I've had to go so far as separating them with both winding up in a divided hospital tank where they nearly killed each other, however, there's been no violence between them in the last year I'd say.

Is it possible there's been an attempt at spawning?

 

[John08007]

Are they kinda stuck there? The smaller(male) will tend to the eggs. The eggs are clownfish colored, they eventually become silver from the eye developing then they hatch at night.

 

[Dbichler]

It’s possible but doesn’t look like it to me. They lay their eggs right next to each other not spread out at all.(typically) however if it was first attempt it’s possible. Yes the male will not leave the eggs except to grab a easy to get piece of food.

 

[John08007]

Yes, mine make a patch about the size of a quarter. They are all right next to each other.

 

[damselindistress]

The pair have been staying in an area under my rock arch, these few that are in the picture are actually loose and swirling, there is a little detritus patch that forms right there from the flow pattern in my tank and the ones pictured have been swept into that little patch with regular detritus. I thought they had come loose or otherwise gotten swept away from the main egg laying site. Does that sound possible?

They are definitely tiny orange eggs of some kind. I only have the clownfish pair, a purple pseudochromis, a yellow tail damsel and a tomini tang. And various snails. And one peppermint shrimp that has so far managed to elude the jaws of my tweezers. Maybe shrimp eggs?

 

[Dbichler]

My clownfish lay their eggs on the underside of a shelf rock just to the right of the male there and they are extremely sticky can’t imagine them being blown around