pics of my spawning clowns

[newhomes4reef]

Check it out! It seems lately we've been getting a nice new batch of orange eggs every other week! This is a smaller batch this week...the eggs are just behind the anenome. Just wanted to share!
-Jeff

[Reef69]

Cool!..how long have you had your clowns paired up?

[starboard]

From the looks of it this is one of the first spawns. They will lay more and more eggs as they get older.

[newhomes4reef]

They have been together for nearly three years i think. One of them lost a fin to something funky a year or so ago but has a nice "lucky" fin growing back in it's place.

Starboard, the last time there was nearly double the eggs...is there a reason it varies so?

[Reef69]

From the looks of it this is one of the first spawns. They will lay more and more eggs as they get older.

Not necessarily, Ive seen pairs Spawn once, maybe twice every 3 months. If you decide to raise the batch i can give you some pointers, its not as hard as it sounds..

[newhomes4reef]

really?!? Please tell me more!! I'd love to see some little ones swimming around if possible!!

[starboard]

How long ago was the last time? Did you move them? Once they get settled in the spawns usually get larger over time and they spawn every 2-3 weeks. After a move it can take months for them to start up again. Maroons have the largest spawns and can routinely lay 300-400 eggs.

[newhomes4reef]

It was just about 2-3 weeks ago. They have pretty much been in the same spot now for about 5-6 months. The anenome learned it's lesson when it was nipped by a MJ the last time it tried to move (as did I and now they all have strainers over them!).

[starboard]

They should spawn routinely now. moves, water quality, and food quality can cause them to not spawn, but if everything stays in good ranges get ready for constant spawns. Also talk to Instar he can give you some tips, I know he does mainly maroons, but some of the same principles apply. Perculas will need a few cultures going to get them the right foods after hatching. You'll probably need green water, rotifers, and brine shrimp going when they start hatching routinely.

[newhomes4reef]

will the little hatchlings get eaten by my other inhabitants? I have a sailfin & purple tang, engineer goby, long nose hawkfish, a few blue chromis, a blue damsel, cleaner shrimp, two pesky peppermints, a couple of brittle stars, a blue linkia, and the usual assortment of snails and crabs.

[starboard]

Yes they will be eaten, if you want to try raising them you will need to set up an enclosed area in your tank or sump and move the rock in there as soon as you see the eggs turn orange and silver. The silver dot will be the embryo's eye. The other thing to do is wait until the moment they hatch and syphon them to the holding container. You cannot change water composition though or they will die. it is usually best to keep them in the same water.

[newhomes4reef]

no chance of me moving this rock....LOTs of other rocks would come tubling down!! Isn't there some sort of small breeder type tank that i could hang on the inside of my tank? Would the supplements you speak of cause any harm to the other reef inhabitants?

[starboard]

No, the food would feed the other corals and fish also. You can try an abalone shell or tile to see if they will spawn on it and then you can move it to the "safe house". The eggs need a gentle flow of water across them most of the time, I am sure you have notice the clown fanning them. This can be done by putting an airstone near the eggs to help move water by them.

[Tim Marvin]

Reef69 how many have you raised? Do you have any for sale right now?

[DeletedAccount]

I just sold off my first clown batch. 30+ It was much easier than these seahorses!

They definitely need to be removed or it is just lunch for the tank. I find siphoning too much trouble and you have to be there the minute that they are born - or lunch. If you cannot move the rock it will be a PITA.

Good luck if you decide to try! It is fun!

[Reef69]

I just sold off my first clown batch. 30+ It was much easier than these seahorses!

They definitely need to be removed or it is just lunch for the tank. I find siphoning too much trouble and you have to be there the minute that they are born - or lunch. If you cannot move the rock it will be a PITA.

Good luck if you decide to try! It is fun!

Yeah, it isnt as hard as people make it sound, i would recommend you get a book, its by Joyce Wilkerson and it has eveything you need to know about raising clownfish.

Im still waiting to get a good batch to start breeding, both my perculas and my B&W ocellaris..