ClownFish Developement step by step

[eliterecon14]

Here's a step by step, day by day thing that shows how my clownfish fry are developing and changing. Note these are Clarkii Clowns so the fry will look different than others and change at different rates.

Day1
put in dark tank very small
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=29043&d=1219235192
yes, they are in my room and that's my shade. The lights need to be off because with them on the clowns waste energy looking for food that isn't there. You need to try to help the clowns preserve what reserve food they have in the yolk sacks. Which is 1-2 days worth. Unfortunately some are born W/o them..

Day 2 Change water daily and feed phytoplex.

Day 5 about a quarter inch and have lovingly accept phytoplex since day 2.
Will post more later

 

[NaH2O]

Great idea to post your development experience!

I thought this picture would be cool to link to for people to see what the clowns look like in the egg, although the eggs are for GSM clowns, it still is amazing! Gold Stripe Maroon Clown Spawn Pic

 

[eliterecon14]

Day 6
Like to eat, most have started to metamorphose, they came out in masses to the light. About 150 strong clowns, I have a super simple filter and a DIY skimmer that works amazingly, well both work amazingly. They are about 1/8 inch ( 1st post made mistake of 1/4 inch), rapidly growing and love to eat. They are not addicted to light as they were now. They will swim in the middle water column
______________ High

______________ Medium

______________ Low

Zooplex still, they can easily eat anything and everything that fits in their mouths. I have a SSB and 2 small rubble rocks about 3 cubic inches, a turbo snail, cerith snails and 3 hermits.

 

[eliterecon14]

Day 7
Thanks for posting the pic of the GSM babies, my clown nest is hidden so well that even Chuck Norris couldn't scare them out of hiding or would he even find them. They have metamorphosed and are starting to show more colors and small white stripes on a drakening and brightening skin. These guys are lasting the longest, my first were amazingly well, but died cause I went to a Cardinals game and didn't get to change their water, plus they were in a gallon tank ( Use a 10 or 20 gallon tank, nothing smaller, TRUST ME ).Hope this proves useful, not many sites have much on clowfish developement so this one will be one of the first ones! I just know the general location around an area my mother fish partols there.

 

[eliterecon14]

The Fry are dark brown from above and light on the sides, and full of plankton/ and the like stuff. Here are some pics of my stuff, Filter, food, and fry. The red surface is the food in the 4th picture.

 

[Sascha D]

awesome thread! Good luck!

 

[eliterecon14]

Thanks,

Day 7-8
The clowns have formed clusters/groups and stay together now. They have a new arrival of some more brethren, who were born last night. They are starting to learn how to swim, the don't "Click" themselves much anymore, click as in curl up and straighten out to move. They sample food and eat all they want, might try some ground powder food this upcoming week or next week.

 

[eliterecon14]

THey have mastered swimming backwards and are now trying forwards. They are darkening some more.

 

[mattleycrue76]

Love the thread. Good luck raising the lil buggers!

 

[eliterecon14]

Day 9
Have started to learn to swim forward, some have mastered it, the "Click-Beetle Swimming" has now stopped only one does it now. They rest with their head down in a 45 degree angle, with their tails up and go full reverse for food. Some have even started the "Wag Swim" (how normal Clownfish swim). They are the length of a copepod.They swim in a triangular cluster group \__/ , not at the sides much, just an inverted triangle like shape, well better to say partial pentagon. I'm glad everyone likes the thread, please rate it. "Power to the Masses" is put into literal meaning with me baby Clarkii's

 

[eliterecon14]

Day 10
Clowns learning/are moving tails better, moved out of the water column, and have an increased mobility.
I am thinking of getting a fake anemone. Does anyone have an unwanted replica anemone? I'm looking for one that, when the clowns are big enough, they can move the tentacles easily, high-grade polyurethane, nature's image is molded to the stiff form and hard to move. THe one's that aren't the carpet anemones. I am looking for something along the lines of life-like, and easy to move tentacles.

http://www.marineandreef.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=RNI00137
http://www.mysimon.com/9015-10992_8-56194780.html

 

[eliterecon14]

Night of day 10
The Clowns have begun Metamorphosis, some are brown now and have mastered the "Wag" Swim. The metamorphosing ones have grown up and out, taller, longer, thicker so some have started early. In a book I read it said metamorphosis was 12 days, so these guys have a headstart. There are about 1-4 groups, one of the major ones contains some young guns and about 6-9 metamorphosing ones. I can't wait til the stripes come in! Will post pictures thursday.

 

[tbone675]

keep it up!

 

[eliterecon14]

Still working on metamorphosis, fry look like mini clarkii's and are rapidly growing, they are still getting their daily water changes.

 

[eliterecon14]

Day-13
Lost most of them, really sad I do have at least 3 left and they have
their stripes coming in it looks like. Just areas where their skin is brown and where it is clearer/white. Hopefully they can survive. Might help if I get a skimmer, better than my SIMPLE diy skimz.

 

[tbone675]

why do you think they died?

 

[mattleycrue76]

Don't get discouraged. Remember that in nature only the tiniest fraction of eggs actually have a life as a clownfish. Eventually you'll figure out how to improve your yield but until then keep up the good work

 

[tbone675]

Don't get discouraged. You'll figure out how to improve your yield but until then keep up the good work

i agree, keep it up there is always next time.

 

[burning2nd]

how do the professionals do it...

i though i had read something how hard it was 2 raise, clowns and other fish

dont get discouraged, tho just research more.... im sure you will get it...

i thought you needed several tanks... or something...
IDk nothing about this...

 

[eliterecon14]

I'm used to them dying, this is an achievement that they lasted so long! I need a skimmer for sure. Does anyone have an unwanted one? I also need to keep up with water changes, and need rotifers. Does anyone have a rotifer that are established in a container and can send me a small portion??? *I have been trying pretty hard to raise them and I will keep doing it for the rest of my clowns' lives...........................................
zooplex pollutes the water and I found out another reason why rotifers are better............they also multiply like rabbits!!!!