# clown fish mating?



## Nicole85

late last night i got up to check temp of the tank since the new a/c was put in and the clowns were at the bottom rubbing against eachother and going across the front of the tank...i asked my b/f what he thought and he suggusted mating?


----------



## drhank

Probably pairing with the potential for future mating. Especially if you notice a size difference between the two fish. The female is always larger than the male. Just keep a watchful eye and time will tell. You should know that although pairing and mating do happen in a display tank, it isn't possible to raise the fry in that environment. Either the eggs or fry will be consumed by the tank occupants. You probably won't be around to see it happen.


----------



## GetITCdot

Well let me start this:

1.) Are they just rubbing up against each other? That's not mating i have a coral beauty who feels the need to rub and slap his tail on all the other fish.

2.) I would say its more of them pairing for future mating.

3.) if they were mating you would see them clear off a spot on the LR and lay eggs.


PS: if they are mating congratulations on becoming very lucky seeing as how you just bought them and separate as well.


----------



## drhank

Actually clowns do mate without an anemone all the time. Commercial breeders do it all the time. I help a friend maintain his tank and he had a pair of Clarki's that laid eggs on the same spot on the glass in the back corner of his tank repeatedly. We added an anemone which they loved literally to death. The addition of the anemone threw them of their egg laying cycle for almost six months after it was gone. Finally, they went back to laying in the same spot that they originally had. Obviously, none of the fry survived.


----------



## GetITCdot

drhank said:


> Actually clowns do mate without an anemone all the time. Commercial breeders do it all the time. I help a friend maintain his tank and he had a pair of Clarki's that laid eggs on the same spot on the glass in the back corner of his tank repeatedly. We added an anemone which they loved literally to death. The addition of the anemone threw them of their egg laying cycle for almost six months after it was gone. Finally, they went back to laying in the same spot that they originally had. Obviously, none of the fry survived.


Hmm apparently this book im reading had horrible facts then. my bad.


----------



## drhank

No biggie. I've found that most of the fish I know haven't read the book anyway.


----------



## petlover516

GetITCdot said:


> Hmm apparently this book im reading had horrible facts then. my bad.


it sure was. currently i have my Complete illustrated guide to the breeding of Marine fishes book by Matthew Writtenwitch(last name might be wrong), and it states that ocellaris cownfish are 1 of the 3 most easy-to-breed egg-laying fish(other 2 are Royal Gramma and Orchid Dottyback), and that to breed them u need as little as 2 10gallons and 1 large 50-gallon tank or so, and that u can get a clownfish pair to spawn in a clay flowerpot placed in 1 of the 10gallons. the fry eat rotifers, unenriched baby brineshrimp, enriched brine shrimp, and than regular foods.

in a simple answer to your question i agree with every1 else on that matter so far.


----------



## Nicole85

petlover516 said:


> it sure was. currently i have my Complete illustrated guide to the breeding of Marine fishes book by Matthew Writtenwitch(last name might be wrong), and it states that ocellaris cownfish are 1 of the 3 most easy-to-breed egg-laying fish(other 2 are Royal Gramma and Orchid Dottyback), and that to breed them u need as little as 2 10gallons and 1 large 50-gallon tank or so, and that u can get a clownfish pair to spawn in a clay flowerpot placed in 1 of the 10gallons. the fry eat rotifers, unenriched baby brineshrimp, enriched brine shrimp, and than regular foods.
> 
> in a simple answer to your question i agree with every1 else on that matter so far.


they have the best chance now, because i only have the clowns in the tank.. unless the shrimp would eat them?


----------



## petlover516

what kind of shrimp


----------



## Nicole85

petlover516 said:


> what kind of shrimp


He's a cleaner shrimp and i also have an emerald crab


----------



## petlover516

i don't think they will, but im not sure...


----------



## drhank

Unless you have phytoplankton already cultured, brine shrinp hatching and rotifers raised, you have no chance of raising the fry. Yes, the shrimp will eat the hatchlings, so will the emerald crab, hermits if you have them and the clownfish. 

In order to breed clownfish and raise the fry, you need to be prepared in advance and have seperate breeding tanks set up. Lots of folks do it but it takes time patience and planning. You have to be at least raising rotifers and many breeders also culture their own phytoplankton.


----------



## Nicole85

ok well it was just a thought...i know we arent prepared for it but it would be cool.


----------



## Nicole85

new development....she dug a hole in the sand and is sitting in it....hmmm


----------



## Nicole85

i looked it up..emerald crabs eat algae not fry.


----------



## drhank

Although it it true that the Emerald crab is normally added to a tank for algae control (especially bubble algae) they are omnivores. They can and will eat meat. They are part of a tank's CUC and that is exactly what they do. Given the opportunity, they will eat fish fry. As the eggs hatch and the fry head for parts unknown, they are at the mercy of the environment.

By the way, if you ever want to catch an Emerald crab all you need to do is place a grocery store shrimp in a clear glass and lean it against your live rock just before tank lights go out. Chances are very good you will find the crab in the glass eating the shrimp in the morning. He didn't go in there after algae.

I'm glad that you looked it up. The real key to success in this hobby is going slowly, researching as thoroughly as possible, asking folks on line to get opinions of those knowledgeable, making educated decisions, and resisting impulsive buying.

Watching what goes on in your tank is the most enjoyable part of the hobby. It is really neat to see the clowns lay eggs and guard the nest. I just wanted to make you aware that there is no chance of raising fry in your tank. That should not take away from your enjoyment at all. In the wild, the vast number of fry do not survive. That's why fish lay hundreds of eggs.


----------

