Interesting Picture

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9253062#post9253062 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 55semireef
That type of hosting behavior can't be healthy for the clam.
eh i see allot of clowns hosting clams but that pile of clowns in a relatively small clam is worrying
Clams have been known to clamp up and kill fish but usually it is fish that are nipping them not clowns
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9256381#post9256381 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
eh i see allot of clowns hosting clams but that pile of clowns in a relatively small clam is worrying
Clams have been known to clamp up and kill fish but usually it is fish that are nipping them not clowns

I dont think I described the Clown hosting in the clam behaivor. The "special pair" are normaly only "hosting" in the clam late at night/early morning (I took the picture at 6am). During the day they swim around it, but not on it. The picture I took was just an odd moment when one of the other clowns has weaseled in for a moment. They wont allow him to stay for long. Its odd they dont bite at the other clowns, they just nudge them with their bodys.

More of the background was the "special pair used to host in a Long Tentacle Anenome, but when my tank developed a leak I had to replace it, the Anenome never would settle down on a spot in the replacement and was wandering stinging everything so I passed it on. That was when the "special clowns started that really healthy leather, it wouldnt mind them at all. But I am spending time around the clam". They also sometimes host in the top of a feather duster. I wish they would just move over to pretty sure the clam will be fine it is about 20 inches and growing an inch a month. It will outgrow my tank in about six to twelve months, and will be passed on and replaced with a new small one.
 
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You can setup and mantain a good breeding system for a lot less than you would think. Four 10-30G tank plumbed into a single sump. Normal output lighting, no rock, no sand, no place for the youngsters to get territorial about. You could have a complete breeding setup for about $300 down and about $1000 a year and easily be able to make more than your money back in 1/4 the time.
 
they seem to be fine a 20inch clam will not kill the clowns and the clowns wont kill it unless one of the other fish decides to nip some clam
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9256740#post9256740 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
they seem to be fine a 20inch clam will not kill the clowns and the clowns wont kill it unless one of the other fish decides to nip some clam

Thats what I was hoping and seem to be what I was observing.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9256733#post9256733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cschweitzer
You can setup and mantain a good breeding system for a lot less than you would think. Four 10-30G tank plumbed into a single sump. Normal output lighting, no rock, no sand, no place for the youngsters to get territorial about. You could have a complete breeding setup for about $300 down and about $1000 a year and easily be able to make more than your money back in 1/4 the time.

I wish I knew where to start or how to set this up.
 
Breeding Ocellaris is not hard. They are the very first marine fish to be breed in captivity. With your pair, you will not have problem moving the babies. How to breed them is easy. You will need to spend some time care for them and do some research. There are plenty of information out there free on the internet. I am sure many successful breeder here on this forum would be very willing to help you.
I know that Rod breed very special Onyx A. percula. I think he have no problem selling them for 50-70 each. I would imagine your pair of Ocellaris would produce as desirable babies.
This hobby really need some fresh B&W Ocellaris blood.
 
I have never seen the female lay eggs. Perhaps I am missing them? Do I need to do something special as far that pair, like relocating?
 
For breeding, it is best to keep the pair by themself. Good water condition, stable temperature, feed them well with variety in their diet. If you can feed them several time a day with several high quality flake food, frozen mysis, and other frozen food. With good condition, they will produce lots of high quality eggs.
 
wooglin, if your interested in breeding you need to isolate the desired pair first. than buy a book on clownfish, by wilkerson. do a google search.

orion is correct. osc are relatively easy to breed from what ive been told. but even so, its very time consuming. ive been doing it for about 3 months now and i did not realize how much time it consumes. its hard to even go away for the weekend.

if you decide to breed, do it bec you want the challenge and the rewards of dev. your own fish. very few breeders make money doing it. you have to ask yourself how valuable your time is. the time i spend on raising clownfish would never justify how much money i could make at work lol

i initially started with 3 larvae tanks, but need to expand out to 3 more with more grow out tanks etc. my electricity bill alone has doubled. lol

you have to culture rotifers and hatch bbs. this alone is very time consuming. than it involves daily water changes for all your larvae tanks and rotifers.

my goal is to raise some babies to see if i get anything interesting, if not, im done lol

like the rest of this hobby, there are many many ways to do it. you just have to find your little niche if your interested in breeding. again do it bec you love it, not bec you want to make a dollar. the breeding forum is very helpful to me. but you need to read read read.

good luck with the process. it ll be a fun ride :)
 
you would have no trouble selling these clowns if you were able to raise fry i would be first in line for a pair
 
My interest was only because I feel guilty for having this pair, that is apparently so genetically good, but I hate to give them up for breeding to someone else (they are happy and have been together is a good reef environment .)

I really dont want to go into a major operation breeding. So it sounds like breeding them is not what I need to do.

What do you think? Do I have an obligation to let someone else breed them? I wish there was a way I got breed them and get them back. But all that shipipng around is a problem. THere are two people here in Middle Tennesse that sell all the clowns to the LFS that are breeders, they probably would be dying to get their hands on them.
 
if there is a breeder in the area and you could get them to spawn they might collect the fry themselves but its not likely
they are your fish you dont have to do anything with them you dont want to do
 
wooglin.

my advise to you is this based on what our pm and what i can tell of your thoughts.

i would keep them and just enjoy them! :) forget about breeding. australian osc have been coming into the market recently so there will be seasoned breeders using them. but they are juveniles so ill be a couple years until they spawn. your pair is older and would prob spawn very soon in the right conditions.

do not feel guilty at all. you should enjoy them for yourself first. but if you no longer do, than definetly give them to someone that does or a breeder than can help introduce better quality clowns into the hobby.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9257620#post9257620 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by embryoguy
wooglin.

my advise to you is this based on what our pm and what i can tell of your thoughts.

i would keep them and just enjoy them! :) forget about breeding. australian osc have been coming into the market recently so there will be seasoned breeders using them. but they are juveniles so ill be a couple years until they spawn. your pair is older and would prob spawn very soon in the right conditions.

do not feel guilty at all. you should enjoy them for yourself first. but if you no longer do, than definetly give them to someone that does or a breeder than can help introduce better quality clowns into the hobby.

Thanks that makes me feel better. They really are my favorite fish in the tank, so much personality.
 
can't you just sell the eggs when they lay em?
There was a guy here that tried breeding his pair but never got them past a few months so he would sell the eggs that were laid in a flower pot.
don't know if it's successful or not
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9257620#post9257620 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by embryoguy
i would keep them and just enjoy them! :) forget about breeding. australian osc have been coming into the market recently so there will be seasoned breeders using them.

do not feel guilty at all. you should enjoy them for yourself first.

I agree. Enjoy your fish :)

Don't move them to somebody else's tank, it is stressful for them and God knows what they can bring back home.

CB AU Ocellaris are indeed coming in, and they are good looking.
 
Please, you have no obligation to anyone but yourself. I would never give up my clownfish, no matter how many clutches I would not raise. I was just merely pointing out that they are one of the easier things to breed, have the best success, quickest MMP of the clowns being bred, and it is a very fun and intersting process to watch little 1/4" baby larvae turn into full grown baby fish. Many people have had great success leaving the broodstock in their reef tanks, setting up a little area for egg laying, and just pulling the tile with eggs on it out and putting that into the separate tank for hatching. You do not need to put your fish somewhere else to breed, it just makes it easier. They look very happy where they are at and to tell you the truth, I think moving them to a separate tank would be a step in a backwards direction toward breeding them anyways.

The way to determine if they are a breeding pair(probably not with other clowns in the tank) is to look for the signs. They will usually clean off a flat area with lower flow. They will do this by the male picking at the rock and waving it off. The female then lays the eggs and the male will tend to them for about five days, waving them, picking off dead ones, keeping predators away. Sometimes on these days the male may not eat or may be late to the feast. You would also see the female lose a lot of weight in a day...carrying around 600 eggs can be very bloating:).
 
Once comfortable and breeding, this happens every 14 days, with six days until hatching(at night, depending on environmental factors), for the rest of their time or until moved, stressed, new fish additions, etc.
 
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