I think I have baby clowns

[Reefing102]

So in my wife’s anemone tank, the only thing that has a pair (besides inverts) is her clowns. She said she had some “baby fish” last month around July 12 but they were gone by the time I got home to look. Well they’re back tonight. And they look like baby fish to me. Just not sure where the clowns are hiding the eggs. So clown breeders, do you think these are baby clowns?

For a size comparison, they are in a frag cup. Likely not even 1/8 to 1/4 inch long

 

[Anemone]

Do you have cleaner shrimp?

Kevin

 

[kharmaguru]

So in my wife’s anemone tank, the only thing that has a pair (besides inverts) is her clowns. She said she had some “baby fish” last month around July 12 but they were gone by the time I got home to look. Well they’re back tonight. And they look like baby fish to me. Just not sure where the clowns are hiding the eggs. So clown breeders, do you think these are baby clowns?

For a size comparison, they are in a frag cup. Likely not even 1/8 to 1/4 inch long
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Definitely fry but type unknown. Definitely look similar to this guys closeup but also look a little more segmented like shrimp fry as Anemone was I think aluding to.. I'll also post the link to his very informative guide.

Pickle’s Guide to Breeding Clowns

 

[Reefing102]

To my knowledge there’s no shrimp in the tank

 

[melev]

I would think Peppermint Shrimp fry.

 

[Misled]

I agree with Marc. Thing is, with peppermint shrimp, you may not know you have them. They tend to hide pretty well.

 

[Reefing102]

Hmm if I have them they came as a hitchhiker on my Florida live rock. I’ve never added any shrimp to this tank.

 

[Anemone]

Could be mysid shrimp as well. Clown fry are usually a little darker/more silver when they hatch.

Kevin

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Could be mysid shrimp as well. Clown fry are usually a little darker/more silver when they hatch.

Kevin

Yep, I had a mysid shrimp event in my tank and I thought they were fish fry.

 

[Reefing102]

Thanks! Does anyone know if it’s a regular event? It just seems odd this is the second time almost exactly a month apart

 

[gratefulbean]

Either way that must be a healthy tank

 

[shred5]

Mysid shrimp

 

[shred5]

Was in a rush when I posted yesterday. Mysid/mysis what ever you want to call them are common in a reef aquarium and usually come in on live rock. When the lights are off you will see them motoring around the sand bed at night. They mostly hide during the day.

They are commonly mistaken for baby fish or cleaner shrimp babies. Cleaner shrimp larvae look almost nothing like a shrimp when released. They look more like a alien. They would be way to small and delicate and extremely hard to capture let alone get a picture of. They will not look like actual shrimp till metamorphosis/settlement and they would not survive a in a reef that long.


That said they are good for your reef and good part of the clean up crew and biodiversity.

 

[Reefing102]

I appreciate it. It’s wierd. There’s weeks where I see none then there’s hundreds in the water column. They can just keep doing what their doing. Free food lol

 

[mtnbike101]

My ocellaris pair lay eggs frequently, probably once every six weeks or so it seems. There are a few eggs remaining under a stylophora at present. I need to make a note of how often. I know nothing will come of it, but it is neat to see regardless.