breeding clownfish

[jcreef]

I am new to reef keeping. I have only been doing it for about a year. Needless to say "I'm hooked". My tank is coming along very well. I know that my water quality is good. My nitrates are pretty non-existent, I do water changes 3 times per month and I have a healthy Butterfly. Anyways, I am going to try and breed clownfish. I currently have an adult Tomatoe Clown. I just purchased a juvenile. It only had 2 stripes on it when I bought it. That kind of has me worried because I need him to stay male in order to breed with the one I already had. I read that juvenile clowns are born with 3 stripes and within 4 months they are down to just one. During this time if a female is present the juvenile is supposed to remain male. I am definitly trying to create a natural atmosphere by providing them with a Long Tentacle Anemone and some other corals. I feel like I am on the right track to setting them up to mate later but I am not sure. I was hoping someone here may have done this before and can tell me how you did it. I am looking forward to hearing from any of you regarding this subject or any other aquarium related topics.

[bertoni]

The breeders' forum has a huge amount of information on this subject. Joyce Wilkerson's book on clownfish also covers the subject pretty well, and it's a very pretty book, too. I'd start there.

[AnemicOak]

There is also a Clownfish specific forum here that has tons of good info.

[Reefmedic79]

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/526049513Reefnut_welcome.gif <br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

[vince R]

If the 2 fish take to each other the small one will become male. There are 2 fish commonly sold as tomato clownfish. Do you have 2 of the same? The anemone is not needed to mate or breed. I have had clownfish mate and lay eggs. I have even gotten fry. After that I havent had much success. I only tried once. The fry never got any bigger and eventually after a few weeks just disappeared entirely. Also you would need a seperate tank -I am sure you knew this but you never know- otherwise any fry will just be food for your other fish. Good luck and if you get some fishies please post what you did.

[jcreef]

Thanks everyone for your input. I don't think my local dealers here know very much. They have steered me in the wrong direction before. This is for Vince R...... You have me a bit worried with your comment about 2 different types of tomatoe clownfishes. I will take a digital pic of them and upload for you to see but now I am concerned. My adult is colored a very scarlett red with black fading in the closer you get to her mid body all the way to the tail. She does have the one white stripe behind her head. The juvenile is more of an orange colored fish with two stripes both white with black outlining. They are not the same color. I figured since they go through some sort of metamophasis that he just looks like that while a baby. Do you know the names of the two types and where I can find some info on them? I hope I haven't purchased the wrong fish lol. It won't be the first time I had to do something over with this hobby. Anyways, thanks

[vince R]

Amphiprion melanopus and Amphiprion frenatus. Or try tomato Clownfish and black and red clownfish HTH

[vince R]

heres a cool link that may be of some help.


www.wetwebmedia.com/clownfis.htm