Getting clowns to breed

[IFbettas]

Hey everyone. I guess I'll start at the beginning. Just over 3 years ago I picked up two small ocellaris clowns. My tank crashed a few months later, everything died, except the two clownfish. I didn't take very good care of them for about a year after that and only fed them a few times a week. 1 1/2 years ago I got back into the hobby big time and started taking great care of my fish again. The two clowns had grown to full size and were sexually mature. In spring '09 the two were constantly cleaning off the rocks, and I was sure they were going to breed. I went on a vacation, and when I came back the female clown was missing. I haven't seen her since. A month after she died I got a 1" ocellaris clown to make a new pair.

The two have been together now for almost 9 or 10 months now, but still don't exhibit any breeding behavior. At first the new male would shake and they would do courtship rituals, but now they don't anymore. They live in the same anemone, but I never see them interact at all. What should I do to get them breeding? Should I add another clown to the tank? Thanks!

 

[landlord]

I wouldn't add any more fish to the tank if you intend to get them breeding. Just make their lives as care / worry free as possible IMO. I tend to feed my clowns a lot and do everything possible to reduce stress to them.

Mainly it's all down to patience and a bit of luck.

Kurt

 

[IFbettas]

I hate waiting :rollface:

I feed them atleast twice a day with mainly NLS pellets, and frozen mysis. Is that enough?

 

[landlord]

I feed mine as often as I can, they'll eat and eat and eat for sure. Saturation feeding has been used by some folks too. I have tried it with some pairs to the point of HUGE cyano outbreaks and massive algae bloom. Fish seem to love it but still no eggs. Then other pairs who I have only given frozen brine and mysis have laid eggs after little to no time at all.

1 part fish, 2 parts luck, 4 parts patience

No real good answers

Kurt

 

[Zooid]

How big is the tank?
I found that as soon as I transferred one of my black and white ocellaris pairs to a 15g with only a flower pot, they laid eggs within a couple months. It seems that they had less distractions and found nothing better to do than eat and lay eggs.

 

[sedor]

They should start breeding on their own if they have paired up. If they aren't then there is something less than perfect about their surroundings.

 

[Plan>B]

lets say if they HAVE laid in the DT tank and then put in a breeding tank? Will they continue, or will it take some time after the move?

 

[r.d.m]

ime a move can delay breeding for a while

in respect to getting a pair to breed 2 things ive found to help is an increase in temperature to around 82f and an increase in lighting durationto 12 on 12 off,and of course perfect water and good feeding up to 5 times a day

 

[IFbettas]

How big is the tank?
I found that as soon as I transferred one of my black and white ocellaris pairs to a 15g with only a flower pot, they laid eggs within a couple months. It seems that they had less distractions and found nothing better to do than eat and lay eggs.

They are living in my 180 gallon reef. They are the only small fish other than a sixline wrasse and a yellowtail blue damsel. The other fish are 3 tangs and 2 butterflies. None of the other fish pay any attention to the clowns. The clowns are hosted by a BTA and don't seem stressed at all. I don't want to move them into their own tank until they are spawning already because I have too much to do without another tank right now.

Water params are great because it is an SPS tank. I have an auto feeder now feeding NLS and formula 2 twice a day, and then I feed them mysis everynight. I only run the lights for 5 hours a day, because it gives me the best SPS growth.