Clown Spawning photos

[johnny1971]

Well while walking by the tank today, I looked in and noticed my clown fish spawning.
imagine that. I've had them a couple years and this is the first time I've noticed them spawn. When I first got them three years ago they were both super tiny and over time one merged out as the female and started growing larger. at any rate, here are a few pictures from today. Sucks I wont be able to save any of the babies.
It was pretty cool to watch them. They have hosted inside this hollowed out rock since I've got them. They even prefered that over a Rose BTA. Anyway there is a big hole into the rock, then a smaller one on the side. The female would go in, lay a few eggs, then she'd come out and wait while the male went in and fertlized. He would swim out the small side hole and she'd go back in to lay some more. Meanwhile he'd swim back up to the big hole and wait his turn again.

 

[cheapfish1]

thats awesome i hope my clowns spawn.

 

[reefiness]

how big are your clowns because im just looking for a size when my clowns will spawn. right now i have 2 true percs and they are constantly cleaning off a rock but no eggs

 

[reefiness]

really nice pictures, glad you got to experience that

 

[johnny1971]

The female is big. 2 1/2 to 3" and from the picture, you can see she's turned quite dark in her older age. The male never did get very big. perhaps 1 1/2 inches. he stayed relatively small and has not darkened up near as much as the female.

 

[connor]

awesome!

 

[gordie9]

Thats interesting to see. Is this the first time they've spawned or the first time you've managed to see it?

 

[johnny1971]

It's the first time I've witnessed it. If they did before then I never saw the eggs. I usually check thier cave out, so I think this is the first time they have, but I could be wrong.
There is no telling if the female was actually a female when I first got them. They were both only a 1/2 inch long and it took a long long time before one started growing larger than the other, so I think they were both males and the one just had to go through the --- change switch-a-roo.
I eventually plan to go to a 300-400 gallon main tank with two 55 gallon display tanks in serial. Plan to move in a few years so I figure i'll wait till then to get the reef I really want. So when that comes around I think i'll set up a rearing tank for handling babies then.