[fishgeeksrus]

We are in the process of trying to pair our Clown. Thought we would share the process. Here are a few pics. We are hoping to get a video link also...

[fishgeeksrus]

Unfortunately, we can't figure out how to save the video as an mpeg file??? It was saved as a avi file

Originally Posted by fishgeeksrus

We are in the process of trying to pair our Clown. Thought we would share the process. Here are a few pics. We are hoping to get a video link also...

[Reefland]

Do they seem to be getting along ok when they are together?

[fishgeeksrus]

We only let them interact, with no seperation, for about 5 -10 secs. We did this about 3 - 4 different times. She is being a little bossy. We have him in a large specimen container (with drilled holes) inside of the main tank. We are going to try to gradually introduce him into the main tank. Hopefully, she will get use to his presence.

[marxsman]

I was going to suggest, If it's at all possible for you.

Rearrange the tank so the female is unfamiliar with her surroundings. This has helped me in the past. She will protect her tank, if you rearrange it she thinks she is is new territory and will not be so aggresive towards new fish.

Or put her in another tank for a few days and let the male go in the big tank. After a few days you can put her back and she thinks she is in a new place and will also be less aggressive.

[Samper]

Plz keep me updated with info and pics. One day I'm gonna try my hand at it.
Good luck!

[marxsman]

I would like to know how its going also, keep us updated.

It took me two males to get my big clown to take one. unfortually I lost the first one but I am unsure if she actaully killed him. I found him three days later in a sally light foot's claws.

My next one I had a success. they have been together for 5 or 6 years now. They do lay eggs all the time. I get them to hatch but can not get the fry to live past 2-3 days. So keep us updated.

[jiggly75]

Originally Posted by marxsman

I was going to suggest, If it's at all possible for you.

Rearrange the tank so the female is unfamiliar with her surroundings. This has helped me in the past. She will protect her tank, if you rearrange it she thinks she is is new territory and will not be so aggresive towards new fish.

Or put her in another tank for a few days and let the male go in the big tank. After a few days you can put her back and she thinks she is in a new place and will also be less aggressive.

I agree with Marxsman. I had a lot of bad trials until a friend told me to put my fish in the sump for a few days. And get a smaller clown (half the size of the other one if possible). Put them both in the tank at the same time. I've done this four times in different tanks with no problems.

Hopefully your method will work for you. I found it really a horrible sight to watch these mean fish try to kill each other. Good luck!!

[marxsman]

I also just moved my pair of marrons into thier own tank. I had another smaller reef set up with a few fish so all the fish went to the 55gal and the 2 clowns into the other tank.

I had to do this because they were way too aggressive with anything else I put in there. no they have their own tank and anemones.

[fishgeeksrus]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. We are definitley going to try them. Hopefully, we will be sucessful. We will keep you posted...

[fishgeeksrus]

Marxman, have they laid eggs since you moved them to their own tank? Also, any idea why the fry haven't lasted more than a few days? Was it due to other fish eating them? Just curious because we have a 6line wrasse, clown goby, 1 green chromis (out of 5 we started with) and a multibarred angle. I thought maybe the 6 line or the chromis might be dangerous to the young.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by fishgeeksrus

I thought maybe the 6 line or the chromis might be dangerous to the young.

The eggs must be removed just prior to hatching to a separate grow out tank. Either that or you try to siphon out as many of the hatched larvae as you can before they are eaten.

People who breed clownfish usually keep the breeding pair in a separate tank with a piece of clay tile or a clay flower pot as a substrate for the female to lay her eggs on. Then a couple of hours before they hatch, you remove the tile to a separate grow out tank. It should have all of the sides covered so that the only light (preferably natural room light or a very dim lamp) comes from above. If the sides are exposed to light, the larvae will hurt themselves bumping into the walls.

If the breeding clownfish pair are kept in a reef tank, you may or may not be able to remove the eggs depending on what they are attached to. Then you are left trying to siphon out any hatched larvae before they are eaten.

You have to feed the newly hatched larvae live rotifers for the first five or six days and then you start feeding them newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii in addition to the rotifers. If you feed them brine shrimp nauplii before the fifth day they won't be able to swallow them and they will choke to death. Metamorphosis takes place about two weeks after they are hatched and that's a very difficult period for Maroon clowns.

[marxsman]

No they have not laid eggs since I moved them, I moved them 3 days ago.

My wife wanted some more fish in the big reef tank, well that led to the death of a nasau tang and enough was enough. I moved the Clowns because they were very aggressive towards other fish!

Actually to answer the other question. I always removed the eggs and put them in another tank. They would hatch and either I was not feeding enough rotifers or they just did not know how to hunt.

Just so you know the parents will also eat the young so they must be moved to a NO fish aquarium.

[fishgeeksrus]

ok, thanks to you both. I wasn't aware of what it would take. I kinda hijacked this thread from my wife ( who has been doing the research) without looking into anything myself. Hopefully she's aware of these things already. Bonus..... we get to get another tank!!!

Thanks Dennis