my clowns are SPAWNING!!!!

[kimmi.kim]

hi all! just wanted to share this great news with everyone! this is the first time i have seen my clowns spawn! If i am not thinking of hatching the eggs, do i have to do anything special for my tank? or just leave them? im not sure what to do here. any information would be great!
also, my male and female's belly hole (??) looks funny, pointed outwards, im guessing this is how it looks when they spawn?

i have attached lots of pictures for everyone to see!

picture of male

picture of female

of eggs

 

[kimmi.kim]

oh and im not sure if this is related or not, but my cleaner shrimp disappeared.......would my anemone eat it?

 

[W Ellis]

Congrats. If you do not plan on raising the babies you dont have to do anything. The "belly hole" is extended for breeding.

Very nice pics BTW.

 

[Lmecher]

Congratulations! Mine just started too, on their second batch of eggs. The little appendage on the female is called an ovipositor. Very nice, glad to hear your little family is doing so well.
I guess it is possible, that your cleaner shrimp was eaten. How long has it been since you've seen it? Have you seen a molt? Sometimes when they molt, they hide for a day or so while they're shell is soft. Just an idea.
: )

 

[kimmi.kim]

Thanks guys! very exciting times! yea, i dont think i'll be raising the babies, but it'll be sad to see them die.
i havent noticed it for about 3 days now...and a molt is nowhere to be seen....

 

[NirvanaFan]

The babies will hatch after lights out and you won't find any trace of them in the morning. If you are interested in raising the fry, check out the breeding forum here on RC. There is lots of info there.

 

[kimmi.kim]

yea, i was reading the breeding forum just now. sounds like a lot of work and time that i dont have hehe. i think i'll just leave them for now.

 

[Jsn]

Congrats!!! How long did it take for them to start spawning? I have a pair and i hope they too will spawn.

 

[kimmi.kim]

i have had these two clowns since October, but there were in another guy's tank for a year.
does having an anemone make them spawn faster? i've had my GBTA for about a month.

 

[Lmecher]

You might want to get the book Clownfishes by Joyce WIlkerson. I just read it, filled with excellent information. Wish I had got it years ago.

 

[kimmi.kim]

i have heard lots of ppl on RC recommend this book. i might just have to go pick it up.

 

[garygb]

Very nice to see your clowns have spawned. Looks like your BTA is doing well also. It takes about 9 days for the eggs to hatch. They will hatch in the night. If you aren't there to rescue them, you probably won't see any signs of them the next day. The filter will catch them. Mine spawn every few weeks and I have never tried to raise them myself either. That would be a fun, but time consuming project, I'm sure.

 

[kimmi.kim]

Thanks! my BTA is huge! but it doesnt bubble up anymore, just long tentacles. boo. i'll have to take more pictures of it and post them.
yes, it will be a very time consuming project.

 

[DTeuton]

I have 9 bta but my clowns died.

 

[garygb]

Yeah, Kim, you have read I'm sure, the bubbling is more the exception than the rule for long-term BTAs in aquariums.

 

[kimmi.kim]

my clowns have spawned again last night! it has been exactly 2 weeks since the last spawn. Also, the number of eggs have doubled (or even tripled) and is more packed/dense than the first time.

 

[NirvanaFan]

yup. that is very common. It takes them a few times to get the hang of it. Mine spawn about every 13 days. How long did it take for your eggs to hatch last time?

 

[kimmi.kim]

it hatched on the 9th night i think.