Amphiprionidae (Clownfish) Workshop

[vaporize]

Jeff, is this the first batch of eggs your pair laid? Do you have live rotifiers cultured currently?

If you do not have live rotifier culturing already, it might be a bit too late to grow this batch out but that is not to worry because most pairs once started spawning will spawn very regularly every 7-15 days. Rearing for the young will require some preparation lead time, that is why I mentioned you might not be able to save this batch of eggs. You need to have source of phyto (dead or alive) to feed and culture your rotifiers, live rotifier to feed your clownfish (~10 days or so depending on species) until they hit metamorphsis.

Your 29G is a bit too big for nursery (unless you divide it into different sections using a solid barrier). You will have to do multiple water changes during the first period, therefore you would not want to have too big of a tank for maintaince. 5/10G with bare bottom and air sponge filter, heater with light covered is what most breeders use.

Prepare for those food sources and good luck in your breeding quest

 

[Elmo18]

THat is awesome Jeff!!

Well, you are doing something right there. That was also the reason why they've been pretty fussy lately....territorial...etc....busy cleaning...

Let them be for now..until they get comfortable. The first nest is usually the worst.

Best,
Ilham

 

[The Apprentice]

Do you have live rotifiers cultured currently? No

Thanks Vaporize, Yes this is my their our first batch I have had Baby Golden neons but they all eded getting eaten, I think If they hatch I could sipon them out ???? I am going to work on this the next couple of days The reason i was thinking of the 29 gallon Tank is it is tied to a 150 gallon LPS Reef and I do weekly 20 gallon water changes so I think this would keep up with any bad water quality, Next I am worried about the food question what I Currently have is a Very full tank full of Amphipods and Harpacticoid Copepods in this Tank not only that but the tank has a dedicated 7 gallon Refugeium full of a Pods as well.
I had set this tank up last spring for sea horses but I haven't been very lucky in this area so Tank has been empty except 2-3 pistol shrimps and yasa hasa gobies. The flow has me a little worried I set it at about 50-125 GPH through a spray bar. As for the return I can install a nylon over it to keep the guys from passing into the sump.
As for prepaired live rotifiers cultured currently No I don't And I don't think I can find this in the Tri cities I may be able to get some live DTs.
What are my options.
Elmo thanks for the pep talk I won't mess with them except for maybe another picture and if they do hatch I am thinking of trying to siphon them out???
P.S. here is a shot of the Nursery

Jeff, is this the first batch of eggs your pair laid? Do you have live rotifiers cultured currently?

If you do not have live rotifier culturing already, it might be a bit too late to grow this batch out but that is not to worry because most pairs once started spawning will spawn very regularly every 7-15 days. Rearing for the young will require some preparation lead time, that is why I mentioned you might not be able to save this batch of eggs. You need to have source of phyto (dead or alive) to feed and culture your rotifiers, live rotifier to feed your clownfish (~10 days or so depending on species) until they hit metamorphsis.

Your 29G is a bit too big for nursery (unless you divide it into different sections using a solid barrier). You will have to do multiple water changes during the first period, therefore you would not want to have too big of a tank for maintaince. 5/10G with bare bottom and air sponge filter, heater with light covered is what most breeders use.

Prepare for those food sources and good luck in your breeding quest

 

[sandlot13]

great thread! cant wait for more updates, as I recently (3 weeks ago) bought two Percula Clowns have enjoyed watching them interact with one another...... im assuming the little "jitter" thing they do has to do with the hierarchy of male and female? so Im hoping they pair up, as one seems to be growing a little more than the other one.

My question is, is there any way to tell if they will mate or not? I would really like to have a mated bonded pair of clownfish!

ALso, they ahve hosted in my frogspawn coral, which is pretty cool! My girlfriend loves how they just lay in it and rub up against it!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Ilham, you are such a boon to the hobby. Well, months ago, we chatted about the yellow stripe maroon I adopted from the guy's who's tank blew apart in the night, which was added to the tank where my small white stripe maroon was living in his RBTA. The larger one took possession of the bulb. They later made friends, Later yet the white stripe did his waggle dance (became male) and now they both are hosted by the bulb. Later yet, they are cleaning off some dense kelp growth (red macro) on the rough coral below the RBTA. Today I gave them I gave them a small Orchid flowerpot (type with the side vents) and they did not seem upset. Will be setting up their own tank soon if they successfully spawn. I assume that the white stripe can fertilize the yellow stripes eggs, is this correct?

Thanks again,
Mike

 

[The Apprentice]

9. Seducing/Encouraging Clownfish to Spawn UPDATE

Good Morning Ilham I just wanted to update you on the Amphiprion frenatus Eggs. Boy they are starting to get alot bigger In the First pictures they were the size of the end of a ball point pen now the Eggs are the size of the End of a Match Head ! You can clearly see their eye's.

Sherri was able to get a Very good picture for our old camera I am trying to figgure out how long before they become free swimmers???

 

[northstaraquatics]

It's hard to tell from the picture, but my guess is tonight or tomorrow night ususlly 1-2 hours after the lights have gone out.

Jon

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The Apprentice, how did the hatch go?
Mike

 

[northstaraquatics]

I've managed to lose my female egg laying GSM last night. I don't know what happened other than my co2 tank emptied into the reactor. So low ph or low O2 or she went over the overflow. Do you try to find a female to replace or get a small one and let the male move up? She was 3-4 inches and he is about 2".

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Elmo18]

I've managed to lose my female egg laying GSM last night. I don't know what happened other than my co2 tank emptied into the reactor. So low ph or low O2 or she went over the overflow. Do you try to find a female to replace or get a small one and let the male move up? She was 3-4 inches and he is about 2".

Thanks,
Jon

Hi Jon. The best way here is to find your current male a smaller clownfish. You can definitely try find a larger one, but you need to do so rather fast, before the male turns to a female. I would choose the former because the latter option has a greater chance of the unknown female attacking the current male, who she currently, 'does not know'.

The male has already known to 'bow down' to his larger mate, so in all respects he is slightly more 'tame'.

However, fish are fish, and every individual fish can behave differently. Let me know if I can help you locate one....

Best,
Ilham

 

[chrisdaphish]

Hi, i have a quick quesiton.... currently i have a nice pair of gsm in a 38 gallon, the female is a nice 4 inches and the male is a couple inches.. they havent started spawning yet.. i actually picked them up from another reefer during the summer.. im not sure if they were spawning in his tank.. anwyays i was hoping that they woudl spawn but i was also hopign to get a small goby and perhpas a firefish...... my question was how affected are the maroons with other fish in the tank i knwo the goby would be more of a sitter.. and not int he open area.. but wut about a firefish or a REALly small copperband.. im curenlty thinking that the marroon might be aggressive/ territorial to the open swimmers (cb,firefish) .. but might not be to the goby.. also i was wondering about their willingness to spawn in a small tank like a 38 with other fish in there... would it be okay? .. i feel like everythign i wrote was a huge mess.. but ... i hope u can help=)

 

[The Apprentice]

Sorry for the late reply

Sorry for taking so long to reply Mike
Been off the radar for a while. I faithfully watched the nest and it hatched while I was at work My wife had been watching it and they hatched in a 2 hour window from when she last saw them I had built a nursery pen for when they hatched to catch them in, and then move them to one of my refugiums Best plans but it didn't work. My Clowns have a mind of thier own they have moved their Long Tentacle Anemone to the middle & front section of the Tank I am hopefully they will try again and I hope they will be more accessible

I still have alot to learn I hope Illham will stay the corse & I hope I haven't derailled this too much...Jeff

The Apprentice, how did the hatch go?
Mike

 

[The Apprentice]

Ilham we need to work on #11

Hi Ilham we need to work on #11 Discussion on Caring for Baby Clownfish (fry)
My 2 are up to it again this time it right up front in my tank above their purple tiped anemone..

 

[The Apprentice]

We are getting closer!

You sure can see their eyes quite well now!
The first shot shows a proud dad the second is fuzzy sorry hard for me to get a close up

 

[mark peacock]

Congrats i have two of the same clown who have been a pair for some time not spawned as of yet i am jealous lol let everyone know how they got on.

 

[loohunter]

not only did i get to watch my gold stripe maroons spawn a week ago, but tonight i come home to a tank full of babies. they are so small it is so amazing to me. i am so excited i had to share with some one

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Pictures!!!

 

[morgan]

did u take any preperations to grow out the fry loohunter or are they just developing in the system

 

[loohunter]

sorry for the late response. i did not get any pictures. i am terrible with taking pictures. they lay eggs so often i will try to catch it all next time. i have not made any preps to raise fry yet. iam so busy with other things that i just would not have time for sucsess. i will one of these days though. i want to be ready when my pink skunks finaly decide to spawn

 

[ronj]

do you have to keep "clowns only" in the tank to raise them successfully???