Clownfish Must Change Gender To Mate
You might find it surprising that all clownfish are born male. To transition to female, they need to be tough and aggressive their whole life, fighting to prove their size and worth. Once they make it to the top, they become female and then mate with the second toughest male in the group. The animal must change its gender to mate. The change is irreversible, and it only happens when the current female in the group dies. The female lays eggs and the second dominant male fertilizes them. The female will guard the eggs for 6-10 days until they hatch. The male or fungus will eat the damaged ones, and once hatched, they live their lives without their parents. The cycle continues once the female dies (Today I Found Out).