Clown eggs on the anemone's rock instead of the tile

[keeshcarm]

My clowns have been breeding for months. Finally have everything set up for raising babies, gazillion rotifers ready, and the time to spend caring for them.
The happy couple keep moving the tile away and laying on the live rock. I thought ok I will just move rock and all...but...my most beautiful rose bubble (about 12" across when fully open) is also living on that rock and refuses to move.
The rock is too uneven to try to separate the anemone and I really don't want to damage it.
Eggs are supposed to hatch tonight and I would rather they hatch in the tank I have set up for them instead of trying to siphon
them out of the 180 reef tank they are in.
So do I dare move the rock with anemone attached into the hatching tank until all the eggs have hatched? Or will the anemone eat the clown babies? I can't imagine they would know the difference between clown larva versus any other kind of fish. Of course the tank is blacked out so maybe the anemone will stay tucked in for the night....
Please advise...Thanks
Keeshcarm

 

[snakeblitz33]

I would remove the rock just for tonight.
For future reference, clownfish usually use tile only when rock is not available. For some odd reason, clownfishes first choice is slate granite. Try that for the next batch.

 

[keeshcarm]

Thank you! I will do that....What I will do soon is catch the clowns and move them to a breeding tank!

 

[snakeblitz33]

I'm saying that they will readily spawn onto the slate granite in your display tank, if you want to keep them in there. Once they are a breeding pair, it's hard to move them without interrupting their cycles.
Lets see some pics of the babies in the morning!

 

[al&burke]

I have a pair that steadily spawn, I would try to move the piece of slate as close to the anemone as possible. They will take to the slate because they like the clean rock. I just moved my breeding pair to their own 55 gallon tank with a hammer coral that is hosting them, I put the slate back in just like I did with the original tank they were in and tonight I noticed the female is swelled up and they are cleaning the slate. This is just a week after moving them. I am sure they will spawn in the next couple of days. It is good to have them on their own because nothing will aggravate them when they are tending to the eggs. Some breeders use clay pots. Perhaps the tile you used was too large to tuck in beside the anemone.
Good luck.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Yup - I've seen a lot of breeders use terracotta pots as well....

 

[keeshcarm]

Update on the babies: I was able to move the anemone but the rock that the eggs were on was too big to get proper placement in the larval tank. It weighed about 15 lbs. Although several did hatch immediately after the move they were the only survivors. All the other eggs failed to hatch and developed fungus. I did not dip the eggs because of the recommendations that it is not necessary that close to hatching. Obviously the aeration was not sufficient.
Will try again with the next batch and the slate granite.
Thank you for the suggestions! You can read, read ,read, study hard and still experience is best for success.
I was really pleased that my first attempt was somewhat successful and refuse to be discouraged. Failure is not an option.
Advice is always welcomed and appreciated....I did read that clown larva are just as edible to anemone's as any other kind

 

[snakeblitz33]

To help keep fungus from distroying the eggs, you can try a large bubble airline tube gently wafting over the eggs in the larval rearing tank.
Also, some breeders do a quick formalin dip from the dt to thr dip and then to the larval rearing tank. It helps keep fungus and disease in check. You will have to find the exact dose. I dont know it off hand.
Most experienced breeders have a 80-90% success rate. New breeders - much much lower. Youll eventually get it if you keep at it.

 

[al&burke]

Now that you know where they are spawning put a piece of slate at their spawning site. You should see them cleaning the slate and doing their tail dance over it. Mine like the slate. After they spawn and the 7 or 8 days are over move the slate into your fry tank, I just lean mine against the glass with an air line below it, use those hose suction cups to secure the airline. Just have the air gently going over the eggs. Good luck. My pair spawn every 15 days approximately.