Clownfish cleaning rock for eggs?

[XtremeFromHell]

well lately i have noticed my clowns acting differently, the smaller one (male) has this one spot on a particular rock that he has been picking at and he also does that little shake they do, and then the female comes and similarly picks and bites the rock in this one particular section right around where they sleep at every night, i was just watching them right now before the lights went out and they were both taking turns picking at the rock and both the male and female were doing that shake thing at the rock. is this pre-spawning behavior?

 

[Toddrtrex]

It sure sounds like pre-spawning behavior. My SI perc pair (( mainly the male )) was doing that for about a week before they laid eggs.

This is how it looked -- the male doing all the work, the female relaxing.

 

[bryanong]

Confirm it's pre-spawning behaviour as my pair of true percula does that to clear any detrius on the rock before they lay their eggs. Try to to move that piece of rock as it will deter the spawning.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Confirm it's pre-spawning behaviour as my pair of true percula does that to clear any detrius on the rock before they lay their eggs. Try to to move that piece of rock as it will deter the spawning.

Why would you want to move the rock that they are cleaning? That won't deter the spawning, since that is most likely the rock they are going to lay on.

 

[XtremeFromHell]

that is great news, i had a feeling thats what it was, i want them to start spawning so i dont want to deter them from that.

the male does seem to be doing most of the work but i noticed she likes to clean some too, like helping him out lol

 

[XtremeFromHell]

UPDATE: today the female clown has been digging a burrow on the sand right where they are cleaning up the rock. she has been constantly doing it all day, its pretty cool.

i went up to the tank to take pics of her and i noticed she became a bit aggressive. as soon as i was up against the glass taking pics she began charging back and forth and also at the male, which i caught a cool shot of, but when i backed off, she calmed down and continued digging, it is the weirdest thing.

The burrow she made.

The corner where they dug, the burrow she dug today is the one up by the rock, the burrow towards the glass is where they both sleep.

The male picking at the rock.

The male being submissive to the female.

 

[1fishkeeper]

You can see the swolen belly on here in that last picture. Looks like she has alot of eggs in her.

 

[XtremeFromHell]

wow, i never noticed that.

 

[auem]

give them a 'home' to relax(a anemone)..they will be more happy..:inlove:

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

I caught mine during the egg laying,it was the first time to actual see it.My male does most of the work guarding the eggs.Your female is full of eggs,are you going to try and raise them.

 

[XtremeFromHell]

im not ready right now, nor know enough to be able to raise this batch unfortunately.

i have started to research on it and i've decided to let them get into a routine first before i mess with raising them, if they do begin to spawn (knocks on wood).

 

[WDLV]

you can see the swolen belly on here in that last picture. Looks like she has alot of eggs in her.

+1

 

[XtremeFromHell]

ive also noticed she is hanging out with my yellow watchmen goby, and the watchmen is allowed to be around that area where she is digging. i wonder why they are so close to my goby. they kinda look like a pair

 

[XtremeFromHell]

here are some pics i just took

the male cleaning the rock

gobby hanging with clown

the clowns swimming together

all three

 

[XtremeFromHell]

could my yellow watchmen be "watching out" for them as they dig?

 

[XtremeFromHell]

im a bit over due for a water change, i usualy change my water weekly, and i havnt done it for almost 3 weeks, should i wait or go ahead and change it slowly?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Personally, I would just stick to your normal WC schedule, and in your case, since you are overdue I would do it.

Before I sold my Clarkii pair, I would do water changes while they were in the act of spawning, it didn't bother them one bit, they didn't stop.

 

[XtremeFromHell]

i was scared it would discourage them, im going to go ahead and take care of my water change tomorrow.

 

[MTF7]

My clowns are in the process of doing this aswell and they don't chase off my diamond goby either