toastiireefs June 30, 2007 Share June 30, 2007 There is a great clown fish thred on reef central about this girls experience trying to raise her clown fish try- unfortunately failed after months and months and months of batches of eggs I was wondering if anyone here had any experiences they would like to share about clownfish reproductiion and fry rearinig techniques. Anybody try? What types of clownfish are hardier for rearing sucess? Which breed most often? I thought it was only the regular Perc and Osc but ppl had pics of maroons and skunks and tomatos spawing. So i thought this would be a nice thred to start to kinda gather information here- despite the large amount of information on reef central. -Sara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott_LM July 3, 2007 Share July 3, 2007 Sara, There is a ton of info out there on breeding clowns. I have successfully reared False Percs, Bangaii Cardinals and orchid Dottybacks. True percs are one of the more difficult of common clowns because of there slow growth after meta. Maroon fry have territory problems as with their parents. Tomato and false percs are on the easier side. Skunks I believe are medium difficulty. Check out Joyce Wilkersons "Clownfish" book, it is a wealth of info. I would be happy to answer specific questions. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toastiireefs July 5, 2007 Author Share July 5, 2007 oh i know there is plenty of info and i am getting the book haha- i have been reading up on it on Reef Central- but i thought it was a nice idea for locals to compile information they had aboutit... guess i was wrong? :( But thanks for the information on difficulty level- How long did it take you to successfully raise the clown fry to juvie or adult hood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck July 18, 2007 Share July 18, 2007 oh i know there is plenty of info and i am getting the book haha- i have been reading up on it on Reef Central- but i thought it was a nice idea for locals to compile information they had aboutit... guess i was wrong? :( But thanks for the information on difficulty level- How long did it take you to successfully raise the clown fry to juvie or adult hood? My Tomato Clowns second egg clutch will hatch in a few days. No larvae survived past the first day. A guy at the LFS told me I could feed them Micro-Vert so I tried that even though everything I read online said to feed live rotifers. I'll have live rotifers this time and I'll let you know how it goes. Any tips on feeding and transferring larvae would be appreciated. If anyone has that Clownfish book to lend or sell let me know. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toastiireefs July 24, 2007 Author Share July 24, 2007 apparently they are very attracted to light and you suck them up witha turkey baster ooooor you place a removeable tile where the eggs are usually layed and right when they are supposed to hatch you remove them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsarvis July 24, 2007 Share July 24, 2007 How often do clowns lay eggs? And is there anything you can do to get them to "get it on"? I have a couple of ocellaris; I put a PVC tube in that they're fond of; I'll see one go in and start vibrating, which I read somewhere is a mating sign. But no egg-laying or anything. No bulging tummy full of eggs (will that be visible?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toastiireefs July 24, 2007 Author Share July 24, 2007 How often do clowns lay eggs? And is there anything you can do to get them to "get it on"? I have a couple of ocellaris; I put a PVC tube in that they're fond of; I'll see one go in and start vibrating, which I read somewhere is a mating sign. But no egg-laying or anything. No bulging tummy full of eggs (will that be visible?). i have no clue- all i know is that once they "get it on" as you so nicely phrase they will be "getting it on" like clockwork untill something disturbs them- and then they might stop- but other wise from what i have studied they work like clocks and they follow light scheduals diligantly... i think the spawning is every ummm like 2 weeks i could be COMPLETELy wrong but thats the nmber that comes to me it might just be thats what it is for my seahorses or dwarf seahorses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck July 30, 2007 Share July 30, 2007 How often do clowns lay eggs? And is there anything you can do to get them to "get it on"? I have a couple of ocellaris; I put a PVC tube in that they're fond of; I'll see one go in and start vibrating, which I read somewhere is a mating sign. But no egg-laying or anything. No bulging tummy full of eggs (will that be visible?). Hey I thought I set this up so I would get an email notification of posts, oh well I'll figure it out. Anyways, my Tomato clowns are laying eggs every other Thursday and then 10 days later on Saturday night the eggs hatch. The first egg clutch that hatched and I tried to raise I had zero survivors past 12 hours. The second clutch which I am raising now currently has 30 larvae that are 9 days old and going through meta stage. I fed live rotifers and now live newly hatched brine shrimp. I transferred over 100 larvae to the rearing tank the first night and most of my losses were dead on the bottom the next morning. I have since learned from studying "Clownfishes" by Joyce Wilkerson that losses during the first 48 hours are mainly from transfer. There were so many larvae in the main tank that I used a regular siphon hose to fill the 10 gallon rearing tank and suck up a lot of the fry, I then used an airline to siphon up the remaining fry. I believe the larvae may have been damaged by the siphoning. Next time I will just scoop the larvae out with a bowl as recommended in the book and see how that goes. Clownfish have to have feel secure (no other fish bothering them), well fed, and have very stable water quality with the temperature stable at around 80f. My tank is a 55 with DSB, lots of live rock, the mated pair of Tomato Clownfish, a scooter blenny, haitian pink tip anemone ( not usual host for tomatoes but they took to it after few months), some snails and hermits. Water perameters: SG- 1.025, ph- 8.2-8.4, temp- constant 79.5f, 0 nitrate, 0-.5 phosphate, calcium- 400ppm, alk- 3.5-4 meq/l. I have had these fish for 2 years since I started this tank. I have been trying to get my water chemistry right the whole time and when I got it where it is now the clownfish started laying eggs. Good luck. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite August 13, 2007 Share August 13, 2007 My clowns have eggs frequently in my tank, but I'm assuming things eat them before they get a chance to hatch (like the cleaner shrimp I had - caught him having a feast). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawnboy August 30, 2007 Share August 30, 2007 Every time my clown fish lay eggs, the anaome moves across the tank and the fish follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck September 4, 2007 Share September 4, 2007 Every time my clown fish lay eggs, the anaome moves across the tank and the fish follow. So the Clownfish follow the anemone? Even if the female follows the anemone the male should stay to tend the eggs. Do the eggs have a nice orange to red color? If not then the eggs might not be viable and the clownfish desert the eggs. A good mixed diet of flake and frozen foods is very important in strongs eggs and strong larvae. I just harvested another batch of tomato clownfish larvae 4 days ago, my other juveniles are 8 weeks old. I feed my brood tank flake food once a day and frozen foods ( mysis shrimp, prime reef, formula one, and saltwater variety pack) every other day. My anemone is on the opposite end of my 55 from where my fish lays their eggs, the male stays with the eggs and fans the eggs. The female roams back and forth near the anemone and the eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite September 8, 2007 Share September 8, 2007 I really wish I had the time and dedication to raise clowns. I did a bunch of research on it a long time ago, but it's too much for me to handle at the present time. I also thought about breeding shrimp - it seems to methat would be easier, but still takes a lot of dedication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toastiireefs September 9, 2007 Author Share September 9, 2007 I really wish I had the time and dedication to raise clowns. I did a bunch of research on it a long time ago, but it's too much for me to handle at the present time. I also thought about breeding shrimp - it seems to methat would be easier, but still takes a lot of dedication. yea im kinda sad i dont have the time to properly raise my seahorses- (the fry) like normally i have a whole nother tank set up for the fry but now they are in the main tank and hoping they survive! but when i get my clowns and they are mated i might try to raise some during the summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck September 10, 2007 Share September 10, 2007 yea im kinda sad i dont have the time to properly raise my seahorses- (the fry) like normally i have a whole nother tank set up for the fry but now they are in the main tank and hoping they survive! but when i get my clowns and they are mated i might try to raise some during the summer I guess I'm lucky that I work from home and can take care of the duties need to raise my Clownfish. It has been fun and the juvenile clownfish are very cute and entertaining to watch. Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with all these Tomato clownfish. Anyone have any suggestions or know a place that will buy them or give my store credit? I have about 30 juveniles that are 8 weeks old about half an inch long and more fry going through Metamorphosis now. My mating pair are laying eggs like clockwork but I can only harvest the fry when I have room to grow them. If anyone wants to give it a try I sould give you a harvest of fry some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite September 10, 2007 Share September 10, 2007 (edited) I guess I'm lucky that I work from home and can take care of the duties need to raise my Clownfish. It has been fun and the juvenile clownfish are very cute and entertaining to watch. Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with all these Tomato clownfish. Anyone have any suggestions or know a place that will buy them or give my store credit? I have about 30 juveniles that are 8 weeks old about half an inch long and more fry going through Metamorphosis now. My mating pair are laying eggs like clockwork but I can only harvest the fry when I have room to grow them. If anyone wants to give it a try I sould give you a harvest of fry some time. that must be so cute, all those little clownfishies. Did you call around any shops to ask if they would make a deal? also, perhaps you could sell some on craigslist.com Edited September 10, 2007 by treesprite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor September 10, 2007 Share September 10, 2007 (edited) id just try to call up all local marine fish stores and pet stores that sell marine fish. And post a topic in the forsale forum and on craigslist. Edited September 10, 2007 by Connor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toastiireefs September 10, 2007 Author Share September 10, 2007 i'll take one!! haha when they are a bit older- im not read yet for a fish- at least i dont think i am sounds cute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck September 11, 2007 Share September 11, 2007 Thanks for the input. I'll ask my LFS if they want to make a deal or I'll list the fish for sale/trade here or on Craigslist. The baby clownfishes are very cute. I'll try to post some pictures soon. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbh September 24, 2007 Share September 24, 2007 HI! Tropical Fish World in gaithersburg always gave me decent store credit for my fancy guppies whan they were ready to be sold. The credit was for fish only but that's how I bought some of my saltwater fish. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck September 24, 2007 Share September 24, 2007 HI! Tropical Fish World in gaithersburg always gave me decent store credit for my fancy guppies whan they were ready to be sold. The credit was for fish only but that's how I bought some of my saltwater fish. Hope this helps. Thanks, I'll have to go check out TFW. Aquarium One said they would give me store credit, I just need to get the fish to grow little bigger. I have about 20, 65 days old and it looks like over 80 25 days old baby tomato clownfish. If anyone wants any let me know. Rick "Wreck" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowardofNOVA September 24, 2007 Share September 24, 2007 I'm looking for a Male Percula around 1 1/2" -2" long if anyone has one for sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite September 25, 2007 Share September 25, 2007 TFW gave me 15 credit just for a clump of java moss. Raising clowns is one of my retirement projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck October 10, 2007 Share October 10, 2007 I finally got around to uploading some pictures. Here's a pic of my Tomato clown babies at around 7 weeks old they are probably twice as big now at 10 weeks old, about 25 of them in 55 so it's hard to get pics of a group of them. I'll get a pic of my fry tank with the 5 week old babies. Rick "Wreck" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowardofNOVA October 10, 2007 Share October 10, 2007 Rick Any chance on the male perc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreck October 10, 2007 Share October 10, 2007 Howard, sorry no percs, they are all Tomato Clownfish, they grow extra stripes as babies as then lose them as they get older. Rick "Wreck" Rick Any chance on the male perc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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