Clownfish gone mad

[trea]

I just came home and noticed that my clownfish are hovering crazily around the underside of one my liverock. There are these little pink things, about six, and they no longer than the diameter of the clownfishes's eye. That's how tiny they are. I can't figure way they are rubbing themselves all over it. I can't figure how they could even noticed them. Any ideas on what they could be. Sorry, my camera feature on the palm pilot is too weak to get a decent picture or video. Any ideas on what is could be from the description.

Thanks

[DevilBoy]

clownfish eggs?

[cdemeritt]

Sounds like Eggs to me. but then again, I've never had clownfish eggs.

[trea]

I don't know because I thought I saw some pics of clownfish eggs before and they sort of reminded me of orange bubble algae because of the cluster they were in. Thanks anyway. Anybody else?

[trea]

If they are eggs, what are the chances of them hatching. I only have the two fish, a cleaner, serpent star fish and about 20 hermit crabs, two narcissarius snails.

[trea]

Might anyone know how long it takes for eggs to hatch?

[JY13131]

I don't know, but if you do a search or check under the breeding section, you can probably find some info until some clownfish expert comes along! How cute are they guarding their eggs?

[trea]

Originally Posted by JY13131

I don't know, but if you do a search or check under the breeding section, you can probably find some info until some clownfish expert comes along! How cute are they guarding their eggs?

They are just really being ridiculous. I just cant' understand why they didn't lay them in their mushroom. You should them. I can't even put my hand in the tank without the female going after me.

[cdemeritt]

If they are eggs, what are the chances of them hatching.

My understanding is that the clowns will feircly defend their eggs, so the chances of them hatching are good. However, if you don't prepare for a long and difficult time with special foods, tanks, etc., the chances of survival for long are slim to none.

[JY13131]

Their mushroom! That is SO cute!

[ScruffyRubicon]

8 to 10 days on hatching. You'll need rotifers to feed the fry and green water to feed the rotifers. Small spawns rarely survive.

[Sambo]

Trea - do some hunting, there is lots of info on clownfish breeding. The good/bad news is that even after this batch they're likely to keep laying eggs in the same spot. It's really hard to raise the fry to adulthood though - but if you're up for a challenge? First you have to catch the fry (you have a better chance than many becos usually anhy other fish that aren't the parents eat them), then you have to put them into another tank (get a cheap little 10 gallon tank, a hang-on skimmer, a heater, airstone and a source of filtration like a sponge from your existing filter that has a good population of denitrifying bacteria). The big problem then is going to be feeding them - from memory you need baby rotifers, which might be hard to find and which lots of people raise from eggs. Then I think you can graduate to adult rotifers and then the mysis shrimp? Getting a bit vague from here. Very, very neat though!!! That's the bit of our hobby I love - when the conditions are right and life cycles start taking off all on their own...

[know-it-all]

when my damsels were breeding it would be in a cycle with the full moon
weird huh for being in a tank
but the eggs would take 7 days to hatch
don't disturb them, the eggs need the fish to flush with water and remove dead eggs

they would hatch only in darkness on the 7th night, like clockwork
the free swimming fry are easy to catch, but difficult to rear

the nice part is once they are spawning, it will occur every 4 weeks
so you can plan on getting things ready to give it the ol' college try

the key is to keep the eggs in untill they hatch,
remove the fry when they are free simming
and good luck

BTW, I couldn't get them to survive past 4 days, so I'm no help after that

[zoa_princess]

good luck

[JY13131]

Is there any way to take a pic of the proud parents?