hey you guys, my clowns spawned. no pics though

[BadRoma1]

i'm so happy about it:headbang2:they have eggs and i don't even know how long. it's not that i think that the babies are going to make it and i don't know how to take care of them, but it's the fact that i feel like i did something right to make them happy enough to want to spawn. i wanted to take pics but my camera won't be able to see the eggs behind a torch coral on its base. the eggs are orange in color and have little white tails like things sticking out of each egg. both parents are around but happy father never leaves the place and tucks them in at night. :headbang2::dance:super cool. i'm speachless. never thought that my clown would spawn.

[1wizz]

Yea,mine too.
Good for you badroma1, its great when your tank/inmates can show you alls well.
Its took 12 months for mine to spawn after the upgrade (180litres-350litres) i was begining to think i'd never see it again.
Enjoy its great to see.

[BadRoma1]

i don't get it. it has been 10 days since i found the eggs. i see their big eyes sticking out of the eggs but they are not hatching. are clowns going to know if the babies die before they are born? the clowns dropped the coral with the eggs on it several times right on top of the babies. they dig under the coral non stop and make it collepse on regular bases. they beat couple of my fish all the time.

[daayda3]

congrats!

[BadRoma1]

i just need to know if i should remove the eggs in case if they are dead

[clown-lover]

It could take longer. I've seen some info that says egg gestation is 15 days for clown fish.

[Catpicklesdog]

Incubation times are generally species-specific and dependant on water temperature; the warmer the water, the faster the eggs develop. Eggs tend to hatch an hour or two after darkness on days 7-11.

[BadRoma1]

i just don't think the eggs are okay since the clowns dropped the coral on top of them several times. Sunday is going to be 2 weeks since i discovered the eggs. the parents are still hovering all over the eggs and a male attacks me every time i go in to pick up the coral with fries on it. i just was wondering if they aren't going to hatch, because i'm ready to remove the eggs to bring piece to a tank. corals that are at the bottom of the tank are covered in sand frm clowns digging. i'll go find a camera and post pics

[BadRoma1]

my camera can't get to the eggs close enough to see

[gomrjoe]

That is great news about your clowns spawning! I have had my mated pair for about 4 months now, and nada, zippo. I have a third clown in there with them, he is much smaller than my pair though, hopefully he doesn't become a 5th wheel that would prevent them from some day spawning.

I have read that raising the fry is very difficult, but if you are interested in it, people have done it, but it takes a lot of time and some preparation.

Good luck!

[BadRoma1]

i had 3 clowns before but i traded one. the female is about 5 years old and a male is about 3. this is their first time having eggs, as far as i know. i was just going to throw the eggs away if the babies died before their hatched. i counted 11 days of incubation so far, so i'll just wait another 5 days.

[ooja3k]

I would just wait no matter how long...

If they are dead, then they will just decompose in your tank... I don't think that them disintigrating in your tank will cause any fluctuation within the tank's parameters. I would just leave them alone. The clowns should spawn on a regular basis now, and I think you have a better shot at them doing this if you leave their eggs alone... I may be totally wrong though..

[clown-lover]

I would have to agree with ooja3k. Unless you are prepared to rear this bunch of fry (ie phyto and rots) they will end up either running into the walls of your tank and killing themselves or becoming fish food anyway. According to my reading though the eggs should turn almost silvery right before they hatch.

[alexuta]

Congratulation and good luck to you !!!

[BadRoma1]

thank you guys. i won't mess with them. they are silver. it's just my coral is placed in very uncomfortable position to keep it from falling and i don't want branches starting dying off. clowns are very aggressive toward other fish and the eggs are right up in the front so they won't let anyone to come up and eat during feedings. so, tha's why i thought if the babies are dead to just remove them so the clowns would stop digging and attacking everyone.

[gomrjoe]

If you want to try raising fry in the future, your best bet would be to segregate the pair in a separate breeding tank, say about 30 gallons or so. Try to take one of the rocks that they were using as shelter and put it in the tank with them. They might not spawn again for a little while until they get used to the new surroundings, but once they do, you will be more prepared.

I totally have zero experience with this, but that is what I have read. It would be so cool to try, at least once. If you search the web there are some really good articles on how to create an environment that is safe for breeding clowns and how to rear the fry.

Good luck, and congrats again! :)

[BadRoma1]

i don't know what happened when i was gone but somewhere in the middle of a day the baby clowns were born and are gone now. the problem is that the father clown is not eating. i hope he ate some babies and got full, but i don't want to loose him over nothing. is he going to start eating again or is he done and going to die? is he just stressed? he showed no interest in food and the bottom of his lip is damaged from rubing it on the coral when he was hovering over the eggs.

[ooja3k]

i think he will be fine...

usually the eggs will hatch just after dark, not during the middle of the day.. so it would be unusual for the eggs to hatch mid-day.

my guess is that they did hatch, and then he ate them.. are all the other fish a little hesitant towards food? or just him...

were the eggs totally gone? or just little pieces left...

[BadRoma1]

eggs were totaly gone. i was checking on them all the time and they were gone during a day with helides on. he was the only one not eating though. he still kinda goes back to where the eggs were and cleans the erea, but the mom doesn't dig anymore.

[BadRoma1]

okay. everything is back to normal. the clown is eating again. thank you all for support.

[clown-lover]

Glad your clown is eating again.. Doesn't it suck how bad the littlest changes in your tank can stress you out???? :angryfire:

[Grins]

But, but...it is such a relaxing hobby Clown.

[clown-lover]

Sure is grins.. You day with the super glue was proof postive of that.. :lipssealedsmilie:

My day flooding my place because I didn't have a float valve on my RO/DI unit is another example :wall:

[saltydunc]

hopefully they'll have another go