First Spawn

[Apercula]

My "bonded" pair of perculas is now a "mated" pair. When I got to work tonight and turned my tank's lights on I saw a half dollar sized patch of bright orange eggs on the rock at the base of the mushroom my clowns host in. :bounce1: :bounce1: :bounce1:

I have been expecting this to happen for a couple months. She has been in my tank for 3 years, and he was purchased as a small juvenile a year ago. In the last couple months he has been putting on a lot of bulk. About 2-3 weeks ago I increased the volume and quality of food put into the tank and the last couple days she has looked as though she just finished eating even before feeding time. My camera is at home at the moment, so no pictures till I can bring it to work tomorrow.

Edit--- Midsummer picture of the pair and their mushrooms.

 

[sesheru95]

Gratz has to be an awesome moment.

 

[milhous3er]

Congrats !! Nice looking pair of percs !!

 

[sue711]

Congrats! I know how you feel, my pair had their first spawn a couple of months ago and now it is like clockwork... every 17 days. I feel sorry for the male because he is constantly busy babysitting and only has a few days to himself between the eggs hatching and the next spawning event. Gone are his lackadaisical days of hosting the blue mushrooms!!

 

[adam1980]

My morron yellow stripe just spawned for the first time today!!! Quick question for you guys, do the eggs ever hatch and do they have any chance of living in a reef?

 

[Friday Night]

Darn clowns grow up so fast these days.. *sheds a tear* congrats

:beer:

 

[Apercula]

where are the eggs in this picture?

That picture was taken back in July. I've done a restack since then so the big rock with the mushrooms is in a slightly different spot, rotated about 1/8 of a turn. The eggs were laid between the lower amplexidiscus and the rhodactus to the right of it, on the smoothish section of liverock. In that picture it would be directly below the male clown. I would take a current picture, but the eggs have darkened to the point that I'm sure my camera would be unable to pick them up.

 

[Apercula]

I didn't rush to take pictures because the eggs darkened and I didn't think my camera could pick them up. Tried some pictures tonight, focus is a bit off, my camera is a cheap point and shoot, but the eggs are visible.

On the rock right above her back.

He is looking right at them.

 

[DxSOR25]

i have snowcassos.. i cant wait til they mature and hopefully spawn!! good luck

 

[DxSOR25]

i have snowcassos.. i cant wait til they mature and hopefully spawn!! good luck

 

[sue711]

My morron yellow stripe just spawned for the first time today!!! Quick question for you guys, do the eggs ever hatch and do they have any chance of living in a reef?

They must hatch because all the eggs are gone by 10-12 days, and I only have the two clownfish in my tank, so no other fish are preying on them. I know the clowns will eat the eggs that are not developing correctly, but I have watched the clutch and seen the eggs evolve with their little eyes and all, and then over the course of a day or two they are all gone. I don't think they stand a chance of surviving once they have hatched in my reef tank. Without the live rotifers to eat, the powerhead and the overflow, they are doomed.