Clowns are finally a mated pair!

[btldreef]

I just needed to share how excited I am that my clownfish FINALLY spawned.

I'm not at all prepared to even attempt raising these eggs when they hatch, but I'm super excited to know that they're finally a mated pair.
I have been reading up on how to care for them for a while and I think if I can get these two to breed on a consistent basis, I should be ready to try in another month or so.

 

[meowzer]

YAYYYYYY...so happy for you.....my 2 clowns in the 225g hang out in the same corner....ther are definitely a pair....BUT I am not even gonna look for eggs...NO WAY....i have no time for that...LOL

 

[scott t]

YAY I am happy for you. That is so awesome that they are a pair now. I wish you the best of luck when you are ready to raise baby Clownfish

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3299562
YAYYYYYY...so happy for you.....my 2 clowns in the 225g hang out in the same corner....ther are definitely a pair....BUT I am not even gonna look for eggs...NO WAY....i have no time for that...LOL
I didn't even go looking. The two anemones that they hang out in are right next to one another in the front of the tank, and when my husband came home from work he noticed this gold/orange stuff in between the two nems, called me freaking out, and I had to tell him they were eggs over the phone from his horrible description, LOL.
They're very, very aggressive towards anything that comes near the eggs and the male is so cute caring for them (human males could learn a thing or two, LOL), I almost feel guilty not trying to save and raise them, but I'm just not prepared right now. The Cleaner Shrimp climbed up there to check it out and he's now missing a leg and an antennae...poor shrimp.

 

[gemmy]

Awesome...just curious though how long have you had them? I think mine are getting ready to spawn.

 

[mandolihn]

I am curious as well how long you have had them. I've had mine for about five months now and am not sure if they are officially a pair or not. they have both twitched towards each other, but never at the same time. they have hosted the same corner of my tank and generally hang out in the same area, but that's it.

 

[al&burke]

That is cool BTLDreef, How big ar your clowns? Mine are always together as well but I think they are still babies (Oscelarrius) pretty sure I spelt that wrong!

 

[bang guy]

Congratulations

What species?
 
The female will need a LOT of extra food now.

 

[btldreef]

I've had them for almost two years. They're Ocellaris clowns.
The female is about 2" and the male is about 1 1/4" if I had to guess. He's a little bit more than half her size. They're tank bred clowns and they were born in July of 2008, I've had them since Nov of 2008 and have moved them to three different tanks in that time. They have always done the shaking, mating dance thing, but nothing ever came of it and I just assumed that they weren't old enough. I have two BTA's right next to each other and they basically never leave the two of them, they even laid the eggs in between the two and they're really only visible at night when the anemones shrivel in a little bit. They have been in this current tank since the end of Nov. 2009, which is the longest they've been in any of my tanks, so I think they played a huge factor. I knew they were a pair, they don't leave each others side, EVER! and never have, they've been together since the day I brought them home, but had no evidence/eggs until this week, so now it's official.
 
Bang Guy, just curious, but why does my female need a lot more food now? Does producing the eggs take that much out of her? I guess I overlooked this. I've recently cut back on feeding while trying to pin point a nitrate issue in my tank, so now you're making me a little concerned as to whether I'm feeding her enough or not. I don't want her to become sickly, but I also have no plans on saving these eggs, at least not this batch and probably not the next few either.
 
From what I've been reading, once they begin laying eggs, they can do so as often as twice a month. Is there any validity to this? If so, does this mean that she is just going to require more food from now on altogether or just after she lays the eggs?
 

 

[scott t]

Hey BTLD I know this is off the topic here but its been a week since you started using your new Salt how is it going with that? Just wondering if things are better in your tank? I really hope they are!!!

 

[btldreef]

The new salt (AquaVitro Salinity) is actually working out really well. I'm still waiting for my new test kits so I can put some actual numbers to what I'm observing though. So far, much better coral colors, polyp extension, fullness, etc
 
I will be starting a thread about the salt as soon as the new test kits come in...

 

[scott t]

I am glad to hear that , I really look forward to seeing how your numbers are when you get your new test. I will Keep my finger crossed for you that it works well and you finally don't have to worry about things being out of whack!!!

 

[btldreef]

Well, if the API Ca and Alk tests are any indication, then things are staying much more consistent. IMO, API is fine for a round about number for Ca and Alk, but it really doesn't give you an exact. Thus far, Mag, Ca, Alk and pH are staying much more consistent and in a good range. My Nitrates are back up to 15ppm, but that's because I just had a Tail Spot Blenny die in the tank and I can't get him out (he was in my 14G, moved him to this tank, and the other Tail Spot killed him

), Phosphates are 0, but they weren't ever an issue, so that stayed the same.
The one thing I am noticing is that the tank is using more alk and ca, but in an even level so as one number drops, so does the other, which I'm fine with. I can dose to correct that, but with other salts, the tank wasn't using them evenly and it made it a nightmare to try to figure out the correct amount of each two part to dose in the tank.
I will definitely say that the corals look much healthier and the colors are more vibrant, which many other people using this salt are also noticing. Supposedly, the potassium in this salt makes the colors of corals come alive, and thus far, I'm a believer in that theory.
 
 
On a side note, I think this salt contains ****** or some sort of super horomone, LOL
In the past week:
snails have layed eggs in three separate tanks using the same salt,
My Cleaner shrimp have eggs
My clows have eggs
My sand sifting starfish are attempting to make babies (although it will never happen)
I guess I shouldn't drink the water,

 

[scott t]

Sorry to hear about your Tail spot

. Lol about the ****** in the salt mix, that's too funny. Well I hope that things do continue to improve in your tanks for you. I should be ordering most of the rest of my stuff next weekend. I think the only things I will have left to get for my set up is, live rock and heaters, and salt mix. Then it will be building the stand, But I dunno maybe I should just buy a premade stand what do you think?? lol

 

[bang guy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/379576/clowns-are-finally-a-mated-pair#post_3300362
Bang Guy, just curious, but why does my female need a lot more food now? Does producing the eggs take that much out of her? I guess I overlooked this. I've recently cut back on feeding while trying to pin point a nitrate issue in my tank, so now you're making me a little concerned as to whether I'm feeding her enough or not. I don't want her to become sickly, but I also have no plans on saving these eggs, at least not this batch and probably not the next few either.
 
From what I've been reading, once they begin laying eggs, they can do so as often as twice a month. Is there any validity to this? If so, does this mean that she is just going to require more food from now on altogether or just after she lays the eggs?
 
Yes, it requires a lot of nutrition to produce healthy eggs. She'll need a lot of food all of the time now. She's not going to become ill if she doesn't recieve more food, she'll just have fewer eggs or even stop spawning. The health of the eggs is directly related to the quality of the nutriens she receives.
 
My A. ocellaris spawned every 3 weeks. My P. biaculeatus spawned every 2 weeks often even before the previous batch had hatched.

 

[btldreef]

Thanks for the explanation/clarification.
 

 

[btldreef]

Well I guess I'm doing something right in this tank, they just spawned again! Isn't this a little soon?
 
Today is 9/6/10, they laid their last batch 8/18/10, that's only 19 days apart ...
 
So since it's a little on the earlier side, I expected at minimum 5-7 more days before they spawned again, does this mean that the eggs are any less healthy? I'm still not yet ready to try to raise these little guys, but I am excited that even after a change in lighting and one anemone moved as a result of this, they still spawned again.
 
Do you think the successfully spawning has anything to do with the addition of reef plankton or rotifiers being added to the tank in small doses for the non-photosynthetic corals. I've been doing an insane amount of research on what is invovled in raising the babies, and there seems to be a mixed feeling on whether or not a "plankton bloom" in your tank can spark them to spawn. Just want to get the opinions of the board members here.

 

[btldreef]

Pictures (they're hard to get a clear picture of)
Male tending to eggs:

 
The black/brown specks above the anemones base are where the eggs are

 
Female gets discolored for a day or two after laying eggs, her back gets dark, is this normal?

 

 

 

 

[bang guy]

 
It's a normal reaction to stress for Ocellaris.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/379576/clowns-are-finally-a-mated-pair#post_3306235
 
 
Female gets discolored for a day or two after laying eggs, her back gets dark, is this normal?
 

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/379576/clowns-are-finally-a-mated-pair#post_3306340
 
It's a normal reaction to stress for Ocellaris.
 
This is what I assumed, but needed to make sure.
The tank has been under a lot of stress lately, a lot of new SPS was added so the entire layout of the top of the tank changed, lights were changed, lighting schedule was changed, and as a result their one anemone moved. I was sure they wouldn't spawn again right away. I guess this is a good thing.