Ocellaris Clowns keep laying eggs but...

[SATAN FISH]

Ok, I have one black and one orange Ocellaris clowns in my 125gallon reef tank. They have laid eggs about 5 times now. It is getting to the point where they are laying eggs two to three times a month. Nothing ever happens though. They start out a very light orange, then turn a darker almost black color. Then after about 4 days, you can start to see little eyes on the eggs. Then the next thing you know, they are all gone. I haven't been trying to save them or anything since I don't really have anyplace to raise them. But just wondering why I never see them after they hatch. Do the other tank mates eat them or do the parents eat them?

Also, I noticed that the Yellow tang will hang out with the clowns a lot when they have their eggs. The clowns don't try to shoo him away either. When ever the sixline wrasse comes over, the clowns and the yellow tang all seem to gang up on the wrasse. Does this seem normal?

 

[Trademark]

They get either eaten or filtered, as for the tang the clowns apparently don't see him as a threat to their eggs, next time they lay eggs take a pic for us, so we can see the tang with the clowns

On another note if your clowns are laying eggs on a regular basis and the eggs are going full term, then you are doing alot of good things for your tank. Obviously your clowns aren't stressed and are fed very well. Congrats to you!!!

 

[SATAN FISH]

Well that is good news then. I wasn't sure if they were going full term or not. I guess if the eggs are starting to devolop "eyes" that means they are developing so... I will take some pics soon. Lights are out for the night right now.

 

[SATAN FISH]

Can't seem to get a pic with the tang and the clowns in it together, but here are the eggs again after about 4 days I think, maybe 5, I can't remember. They were a really pale orange. Then they turn to this, then next they start getting little eyes.

 

[eclown]

They most likely are hatching in the dead of night just to be consumed by corals, overflows and other critters. They will go right to the top where you can scoop them out. Or, you can remove the surface the eggs are on, keeping hem submerged in water from the mother tank. Then put them in a rearing tank...filled with water from the main tank.

 

[Arc Katana]

If you're not interested in raising them, think of it as free zooplankton for you tank. If anything (like the poster a couple above) your tank seems like its pretty healthy if they are laying every couple weeks!

 

[rkelman]

I have the same type of behavior in my display tank. No one messes with my pair of black o's because either the female will beat them up or if they are bigger, My Yellow Tang will chase them off. Its funny, Until your post I've never heard of this behavior from others.

 

[EileenLH]

I have almost the identical situation! I have a black and an orange ocellaris that routinely spawn approx. every two weeks. No other fish are allowed near their half of a pot where they lay their eggs EXCEPT for the yellow tang! Two nights ago, when they had eggs, I watched as the tang backed into and out of the pot several times...sometimes both he and the male (B/W) were in there together! Being it's half a pot, it's really a site to see him squeeze in there!

 

[rkelman]

Ok EileenLH you HAVE to post a pic of that!

 

[onsan]

they usually hatch a couple of hours after lights out. depending on water temp, this will be 7-9 days from laying.

if you want to setup an automatic catcher i have posted a thread here about it,
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1786331