cinnamon clown fish

[attempt]

I have 2 cinnamon clowns purchased together and they started out the same size, I have had them for about 1 year. One has grown larger that the other. the larger one has black sides up to the white stripe. the smaller one, however, used to be the same way, now recently the black sides have started to receed away from the stripe towards the back of the fish. it now has black starting about halfway between the tail and the white stripe then it fades into dark orange then the white stripe.
What is happening to my fish?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, for one thing, they change sex, with the dominant animal becoming female. For another, coloring tends to be a bit variable, especially if tank bred. In other words, you're a good fishparent, they're growing!

 

[Len]

Some clowns tend to change their morphologies as they mature and especially as they undergo sex change (the larger one has changed from male to female). Sometimes they also change colors due to diet or other immediate conditions. I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

[Anonymous]

Good avice. I was going to say the same things. sounds like they've become a mated pair. Congrats!

 

[attempt]

WHEW!!
I was getting worried about the little guy.
I did change their diet from forula one flake to Spectrum pellets, i also use cyclopeeze 2x a week
is that why the littler one "barks" at the larger one? its pretty entertaining
(the little one has taken up residence in a colt coral, where the larger lives in the rocks) any time the larger one gets near the colt the get into a "barking" match they also shake at each other

 

[D.W.L.]

My pair are coming up on 4 yrs. old. Just had their first batch of eggs. The female outgrew the male for awile, but as is common with these, they are now identical in size.

This pic is in front of their pvc house.

 

[D.W.L.]

Here is Margret, tending her new eggs.