Spawning behavior?

[Gawain1974]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, or if I should have posted it in the breeding forum, but I decided to post it here since I'm not trying to raise fry.

I have two ORA black ocellaris clowns that have been in my tank for almost three years since they were both juveniles. They paired up immediately. About a year ago, the sebae anemone that was hosting them for two years ago gave up the ghost, and I haven't added any other anemones to the tank.

Today, I noticed that my clowns have scooped out a shallow space in the sand bed next to a pile of mushrooms that I'm trying to eliminate and the female (she's only slightly larger than the male) is laying in that area. Whenever I see a fish laying like that on the sand bed, it makes me nervous, but I'm wondering if this is part of their natural spawning process? The male clown is staying really close to her as well.

I know that if there isn't an anemone, clowns will make do with what is available, and they will scoop out a shallow nest in a sand bed. Should I be worried that the female is sick, or is she just doing her thing while preparing to lay some eggs?

I have no interest in trying to rear fry, so if they do lay eggs, the other inhabitants will just have some caviar to snack upon. I just want to make sure that my female isn't sick and dying.
TIA!

 

[Toddrtrex]

Get back in the Lounge Les.

Any changes to the tank lately? Add any new fish? The only time I have seen a clown laying like that is when they are are.

Though, all of my clowns that have spawned did it in the presence of an anemone. Did you notice the male "biting" any rocks?

If you look at this video, you can see the male in the background cleaning/biting the rock -- 2 days later they laid their eggs on that spot.

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[WaffleWalffle22]

Mine used to make a ditch in the sand before they started laying eggs, so I assume it is some sort of love behavior. But for some reason, they did that again about a week ago right under their patch of eggs and they're keeping that little ditch in the sand clean. If you are wanting your clowns to lay eggs sooner, give them a wide diet with supplements. I believe that is one of the main reasons my clowns lay eggs.

 

[Angel*Fish]

They lay and fertilize together. Prior to that - lots of cleaning and preparing the area.

Then after that, as I'm sure you know, he becomes devoted to protecting them. The female may nudge him to make sure he's protecting the eggs and doing his job, but she may completely ignore them after that. At least that's how it was for mine.

Maybe they're just still spawning - how long has this been going on?

 

[Gawain1974]

Maybe they're just still spawning - how long has this been going on?

I noticed them doing it this morning and they did it all afternoon. I watched them as they pulled some mushrooms across the sand and pile them up in their ditch. Now that the lights are on, they've stopped doing it and are back to their regular routine.

 

[Angel*Fish]

:lol: That's good to hear. It sounds like they are nesting for sure. Clowns are hilarious fish. NPI

 

[Gawain1974]

Well, I hope they enjoy their nesting as I'm sure the other critters in the tank will enjoy the caviar. :lol:

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

Uh, most clownfish don't nest on the sand. And I wouldn't say they're nesting for sure. They're probably just improving their "fortress" that they hang around. But this is probably a pre-spawning behavior. :spin1:

 

[Angel*Fish]

Uh, most clownfish don't nest on the sand. And I wouldn't say they're nesting for sure. They're probably just improving their "fortress" that they hang around. But this is probably a pre-spawning behavior. :spin1:

Is nesting some scientific term I don't know about? Sorry Les, I meant prespawning behavior. I haven't been in this part of the forum for some time so I guess I'm off my game when it comes to using the correct terms. I did not mean that your fish are definitely spawning at this moment.

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

Is nesting some scientific term I don't know about? Sorry Les, I meant prespawning behavior. I haven't been in this part of the forum for some time so I guess I'm off my game when it comes to using the correct terms. I did not mean that your fish are definitely spawning at this moment.

Nesting to me means a clownfish cleaning off a place to make a nest, where they will eventually lay eggs.

 

[Angel*Fish]

So it's prespawn, nest then spawn?

 

[WaffleWalffle22]

Affirmative, but mine were biting the rocks for months before the spawning commenced. My pair is jank I suppose.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Pre-spawning is just like the video I posted above, and the following is the actual spawn -- different pair the actions are the same.

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