CLOWNFISH
- Thread starter DSK
- Start date
You asked a question I can answer a friend has a clownfish breeding facility in his basement. Gives me tours and advice on how to keep and breed clowns (not that i have).
First you need two clownfish to pair. A smaller individual placed with a larger will give you the best results. Younger fish are recommended, also try to buy form different sources to minimze imbreeding.
Second is the tank. You will need at least a 40 gallon tank with just the clownfish. Temperature around 79-82degrees faranheit. Make sure nitrates are undetectable. There needs to be day and night time light cycles.
Third is the spawning. The fish need hard verticle surfaces in which to lay the eggs. If you plan on keeping an anemone they will spawn at the base or aroun the rocks near it. After the initail spawning leave the rock alone. When the fish are ready to spawn they will start to clean the rock by biting it. The actual spawning will take place in the afternoon or early eveningand can last up to an hour. The female will deposit eggs and the male will folllow fertilizing the eggs. tHe male will then tend the eggs while the female guards.
The eggs will take 6-15 days to hatch, depending on temperature. The day the eggs hatch they will turn a silvery color from a dark brown. All pumps and pwerheads should be stopped on the evening of the hatching. After the lights are out check the tank every so often. After 1-2 hours of total darkness the eggs will hatch. When the eggs have hatched shine a flashlight over the top and the fry will flock towards it. Using something to scoop them(e.g. ladel or spoon) transfer to a rearing tank. The fry are very delicate so there should be no current in the tank and the water parameters should be the same as the breeding tank.
The rearing tank should be kept in full darkness for 24-36 hours. Gradually increase light around tank for a period of a few days.
Back to the rearing tank. It should be a 10 gallon tank with the sides and bottom covered. Even the slightest bit of light will kill the fry. There should be no substrate and no filtration. No filtration for the first 3 weeks. An air stone with only 1-2 bubbles per second is required. Too many bubbles will cause the fry to float to the surface and die ame with water movement/filtration.
Feeding: the fry should be fed frequently each day. My recommendation is DT Phyto plankton. live plankton is a good idea as well.
All in all this is how to raise clownfish. A little complex if you aske me!
First you need two clownfish to pair. A smaller individual placed with a larger will give you the best results. Younger fish are recommended, also try to buy form different sources to minimze imbreeding.
Second is the tank. You will need at least a 40 gallon tank with just the clownfish. Temperature around 79-82degrees faranheit. Make sure nitrates are undetectable. There needs to be day and night time light cycles.
Third is the spawning. The fish need hard verticle surfaces in which to lay the eggs. If you plan on keeping an anemone they will spawn at the base or aroun the rocks near it. After the initail spawning leave the rock alone. When the fish are ready to spawn they will start to clean the rock by biting it. The actual spawning will take place in the afternoon or early eveningand can last up to an hour. The female will deposit eggs and the male will folllow fertilizing the eggs. tHe male will then tend the eggs while the female guards.
The eggs will take 6-15 days to hatch, depending on temperature. The day the eggs hatch they will turn a silvery color from a dark brown. All pumps and pwerheads should be stopped on the evening of the hatching. After the lights are out check the tank every so often. After 1-2 hours of total darkness the eggs will hatch. When the eggs have hatched shine a flashlight over the top and the fry will flock towards it. Using something to scoop them(e.g. ladel or spoon) transfer to a rearing tank. The fry are very delicate so there should be no current in the tank and the water parameters should be the same as the breeding tank.
The rearing tank should be kept in full darkness for 24-36 hours. Gradually increase light around tank for a period of a few days.
Back to the rearing tank. It should be a 10 gallon tank with the sides and bottom covered. Even the slightest bit of light will kill the fry. There should be no substrate and no filtration. No filtration for the first 3 weeks. An air stone with only 1-2 bubbles per second is required. Too many bubbles will cause the fry to float to the surface and die ame with water movement/filtration.
Feeding: the fry should be fed frequently each day. My recommendation is DT Phyto plankton. live plankton is a good idea as well.
All in all this is how to raise clownfish. A little complex if you aske me!
