Best Habitat for Breeding

[HartfordWhalers]

I have never tried to breed clownfish before. I am soon to get my first pair of Percula Clowns. I Just got a new 12g Nano. I was wondering what would the clowns like. what anenomes and corals they like. Also any suggestions for a first time breeder. Everything helps!

Thanks in Advance

~Andrew

 

[NicoleC]

A 12g nano is perfect for a perc pair. They do not need corals or anemones -- many fall in love with clay pots and other quite unnatural items! Even a cave in a rock will often be acceptable as a surrogate host. An anemone is protection in the wild, which they don't need in captivity.

I would stock the nano with some good quality live rock and just the clowns for now. Once the nano has matured for a few months, you may want to add some corals. Many clowns take to Euphyllia corals as a surrogate host, but I've heard of clowns hosting in almost anything, even clams.

Anemones CAN be kept in a nano by a dedicated aquarist, but they are not very hardy in captivity and are best avoided until one has a lot of experience. (And even then there are only a few good candidate species.)

In captivity, clowns sometimes ignore anemones anyway. Mine won't leave their beloved frogspawn for any of the anemones I have!

 

[HartfordWhalers]

Thanks alot im ordering live roock today. 10 or 12 lbs not sure yet

 

[Atticus]

That is good advice if you want them as pets. If you want them for strictly breeding you will want to keep your system simple. Bare bottom and a clay pot for cover. Any other items added to the tank become distractions and possible non-removable spawning sites.

As for anemones being kept in a nano... I CAN keep one in a bag of water if I do enough water changes and give it light, but it does not make it ideal or right. Anemones need larger water volume and stable tank conditions.