Attempting to breed clownfish - log

[rps042657]

Hi to all. My name is Kim and I keep up with everyones progress.
I keep asking my LFS's "how big do clowns get before they start breeding?" Nobody ever gives me a straight answer. Could you all tell me? I have 2 pairs and I'm courious. Thanks Kim

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12943578#post12943578 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rps042657
Hi to all. My name is Kim and I keep up with everyones progress.
I keep asking my LFS's "how big do clowns get before they start breeding?" Nobody ever gives me a straight answer. Could you all tell me? I have 2 pairs and I'm courious. Thanks Kim

I really couldn't tell you. I have mine for almost 2 years before they started breeding and they were pretty small when I got them.

 

[FB]

I went to feed my most recent hatch this morning. I didn't see any deaths so there are a few hundred still alive. All of them had silver bellies before I fed them. Things are looking good for this hatch and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

FB

 

[RokleM]

Ditto on FB's thoughts. My first pair took almost 2 years, second pair a little less. They were all very small when I got them.

 

[rkelman]

My pair was about 1 1/2 years old..

 

[billsreef]

Kim,

It's not so much size as it is age. 18 months is generally considered the earliest, with around 2 years being the most common when conditions are conducive to spawning.

 

[FB]

Did not notice any deaths last night, however they are so small and so many it really is hard to tell. I still have a couple hundred alive all had silver bellies this morning. Today is day 4 and I fed a small amount of BBS. They took to it immediately. The tank still contained rotifers so those that didn't eat the bbs are still being fed. I will add more rotifers and bbs tonight.

One of my tanks water has turned very murky (white). Not sure what is causing it but a water change it required. They ate well this morning and I have not noticed any ill effects of the water quality. The tank contains a combination of two batches. The one batch had a rough go with not enough bbs and several have misbars that have not seemed to correct themselves. So for me misbars seems to happen because of malnourishment. I'm not sure really what to do with them. I was thinking of keeping a couple of them for a couple of years to see if they produce misbars.....but who knows if I will still be doing this in a couple of years.

I went the LFS that I had sold my 5 fish two and they were still their. One of the employees said it has been really slow. However the store has yet to officially have their grand opening.

 

[dazed]

Someone correct me if i am wrong but doesn't the murky white water mean there was/is a bacteria bloom in the tank??

FB, Sounds like things are going nicely have you ran out of room yet? lol

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12952278#post12952278 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dazed
Someone correct me if i am wrong but doesn't the murky white water mean there was/is a bacteria bloom in the tank??

FB, Sounds like things are going nicely have you ran out of room yet? lol

I believe you are correct with the bacteria bloom.

I ran out of room a while ago. that's why I have been mixing batchs. I recieved my 5 bulkheads in the mail yesterday so I think I am almost ready to build some kind of system.

FB

 

[rkelman]

Yep I agree bacteria bloom. Keep up those water changes. I'm not sure about mixing batches so early but if you have no choice.

 

[FB]

I just noticed tonight that the female clown's right eye has turned a little white. Anyone know what this could be.

Thanks

FB

 

[Sullyman]

She might have scraped it, maybe a little infection, check water params and if good give it a few days and see if lightens up or gets worse. Maybe the start of pop eye, which goes away on it's own. Get a pic if it gets any cloudier, would help.

 

[FB]

I did some reading and read that it could have been caused by a net. I did just transfer her in a net to the new tank. Hopefully that is what it is. I will keep an eye on her...no pun intended.

Thanks

FB

 

[poolshark181]

Hey FB, i was reading the thread and got up to the part where you switched your cultures to the 5 gallon bucket, but didnt elaborate. could you just summarize what your setup is now for the phyto and rotifer cultures? my clown has recently gotten a larger belly, and I'm assuming it's almost ready to start spawning after a year. I am now getting ready to feed the coming fry. Thanks!

 

[billsreef]

Keep a close eye on the clowns eye. Sometimes those things heal up nicely on their own and sometimes not. If it starts getting any worse, or doesn't show signs of getting any better within a couple of days I would treat with antibiotics.

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12956556#post12956556 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billsreef
Keep a close eye on the clowns eye. Sometimes those things heal up nicely on their own and sometimes not. If it starts getting any worse, or doesn't show signs of getting any better within a couple of days I would treat with antibiotics.

What kind of antibiotics and where would I get them (preferably in Canada). Is this something you can get from a vet. I assume this would require a hospital tank.

Thanks

FB

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12956543#post12956543 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poolshark181
Hey FB, i was reading the thread and got up to the part where you switched your cultures to the 5 gallon bucket, but didnt elaborate. could you just summarize what your setup is now for the phyto and rotifer cultures? my clown has recently gotten a larger belly, and I'm assuming it's almost ready to start spawning after a year. I am now getting ready to feed the coming fry. Thanks!

I am not using a 5 gallon bucket it's more like a 2 gallon bucket. One of the small red sea coral pro salt buckets. I also have a clear square bottle that you buy carbon in, and a 2 litre pop bottle. It is so much easier to maintain than a large culture. For my phyto I use any kind of clear juice or pop bottle ussually around 2 Litres.

Hope that helps.

 

[Zoom]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12958195#post12958195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FB
What kind of antibiotics and where would I get them (preferably in Canada). Is this something you can get from a vet. I assume this would require a hospital tank.

Thanks

FB

I had the same thing with my clown when i net it out of the overflow box .
Took three weeks for the eye to get back to normal.
Keep close eye on it .

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12958195#post12958195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FB
What kind of antibiotics and where would I get them (preferably in Canada). Is this something you can get from a vet. I assume this would require a hospital tank.

Thanks

FB

If you need them, the best choices are nitrofuran (and other furan family antibiotics), Kanamycin and Maracyn 2 from Mardel. If you have trouble with those, what you are looking for is antibiotics that are water soluble, effective in hard alkaline water, and effective on gram negative bacteria.

 

[FB]

Thanks Bill and Steve.