Maroon clown male on his way out

[trilinearmipmap]

I've had a pair of gold stripe maroons for ages, I don't know how many years, maybe 5 or more. They have always gotten along well and for years they would lay eggs every couple of weeks or so.

Today the male is staying against the glass in the corner of the tank far away from their usual nesting spot and swimming weakly. He is ignoring food. His fins are a bit torn up. Once in a while the female will come over and gently peck at him. She is not attacking him fiercely, because she could kill him right away if she wanted to. He has one white spot on him which looks like it may be ich.

Tank conditions are good, all the other fish are fine, and no one else is bothering the maroon clown. No new fish have been added to the tank for ages.

I am not sure whether the maroon is old / dying / sick and the female is halfheartedly trying to nudge him, or whether the primary event is the female attacking him and driving him out of his nest. If she was attacking him, I am not sure if it was because he wouldn't mate with her, as I haven't seen eggs laid for quite a long time.

Anyway I am not sure whether to put him in the sump to recover, or euthanize him. If I leave him in the tank or sump, his ich will worsen, but I am not to worried about it affecting the other fish. In the past they came through a bout of ich just fine with no intervention. I have another tank but it has clowns in it which would attack him. It seems cruel just to leave him in the tank as I don't expect him to improve on his own. Input or suggestions, I am not sure what I am going to do.

[reefwars]

If its fins are tore up then he is more than likely being picked on it's possible like you mentioned that the mail wouldn't mate and got the boot After all it's the whole reason he's there in the first place Personally if he's easy to catch now with an Net and no stress then I would and move him to somewhere else

[hfp75]

Might be time to find a new mate for her and sump him... Maybe let him recoup for a bit and if he pulls through either sell him or find him a new mate - I bet he turns into a dominant female.... You might need two new males...