New addition to the family

[tedh]

Just though I would share! I've had the bigger of the two for about 3-4 years give or take a year! I've always wanted to mate him/her up because I just can't get over the coloration. Especially the bright orange around the edges of her fin. However, I've read bunches of horror stories both here and on the other reef boards as well as folks in the LFSes and tried to figure out how or if I should try to get a mate for the maroon clown. I heard about introducing the new clown in a clear plastic box and then slowly trying to unit them. Bottom line is that I went over to Aqua Addicts, talked to Mike and brought by a fairly big condy that was terrorizing the BTA and asked him to get me a white stripe maroon. He got 4 or 5 in last week and Friday on my way home I picked up one. They were all georgous and very healthy.

I got the little tyke home and my kids were all excited about little baby Nemo (yes they are 2 and 6 and have seen Nemo, cute movie). I was very worried at this point that my big girl would mutilate the little guy. I guess that would be a quick nature lesson for the kids. Thankfully the old gal greeted him, he shivered (or whatever you call it) a few times and they have been shacked-up ever since. I figure this probably a rare occurance but of all the sad stories I had heard I figured I should share a happy one.

Now, I do have one question! I know the larger one is old enough to lay eggs but how old does the little one need to be to fertilize the eggs? A couple of years? I am not expecting anything too soon but am curious. I'm having fun watching them play.

http://www.4hollands.com/pictures/newimages/TankJuly2003/images/DSC05013.jpg

Best regards,

TedH

[Heavydc2]

Well I am no expert but from what I know If the pair have a good place to lay the eggs, and they are happy with everything they could start laying eggs anytime, No gaurantee when, just sometime. It could be tomorrow (unlikely) it could be in a couple years, it could be never. Scavdog waited 2 years for his maited pair to lay eggs. Your lucky they are getting along so well. Congrats they look great.

This is what mine look like.
http://www.chandev.com/reef/images/clown-07-29-03-all.jpg

[Keith Sheridan]

Your DSB is eating your clown.

[Heavydc2]

haha that is a sticker that my GF put on the sump. I just let her do it. I might take it off one of these days. The real ones don't seem to be bothered much by it lol...

[jimmyj7090]

I also had an amazingly easy experience mating up my Maroon clowns.

I had a 2.5in Maroon that had been living in my lg rose BTA for about 8 months. I got a tiny, .75 inch baby maroon from greg hiller (he breeds them), and carefully set him up in a 2 liter coke bottle within the main tank next to the BTA and resident clown.

I spent a long time setting this up so the baby clown had a bit of current in the bottle and couldn't get out. I was very proud of my work for about 3 minutes. Then the baby escaped and darted under some rocks with the lg clown chasing him instantly. It looked like the little one was doomed. I saw the big clown attack him relentlessly whenever she could find him, but he could hide pretty well as he was so small.

I shut the lights off an hour early hoping to let the baby hide. when I went to bed the little one was avioding the big one by hiding in the BTA (14 inches across, it was possible for him to hide in it).

I woke up at 3-4 in the morning and checked on the clowns. they were swimming next to each other in the BTA and perfectly happy. no bickering at all since.

It seems that if one is way bigger then it becomes less threatening and they pair up more easily.