another project for me

[billyr98]

I want to try and breed a pair of percula clowns... Who has good and bad comments about this? Your experiences and what i should look for? I have a 40g Breeder tank set up in the basement right now.. With some live rock and thats it.

[cheeks69]

Who has good and bad comments about this?

Great idea ! Don't have any experience but here's some good info:

After a brief courtship, which will include various forms of posturing, the female will lay her eggs upon a flat surface just off the side of their host anemone in the area that was cleared of debris earlier. In species of anemones that set their foot in soft sand substrates, the adult clownfish will hunt for a flat substrate surface to work with. Such items as shells, sand dollars, coconut shells, or most any human litter such as tin cans or plastic have been used. Just prior to sun up the pair will nip at the tentacle of its host causing it to retract in the area where the eggs will be laid. The female will make a few practice attempts at egg laying, then finally as morning begins to take shape, the female will rest her swollen abdomen against the intended nesting site and drag herself, using her pectoral fin, around the site simultaneously releasing the unfertilized, sticky, negatively buoyant eggs. The male swims closely behind the female, fertilizing the eggs as he follows. The actual egg laying will take on average two hours. For a pictorial featuring many of these spawning events, click here...

The eggs hatch as swimming larvae and under the protection of night they join the tumultuous life of plankton. If the larvae win the equivalent of the clownfish lottery and survive, the larvae will settle out in from 8 to 16 days...

Clownfish larvae left in the aquarium with their parents will likely be consumed by the parents. As such, removal of the larvae is essential. The easiest way to go about this is to remove the fry just prior to hatching. Since the eggs are attached to a flattened stone, it may be easiest if you provide this stone for your fish. Shells, ceramic tiles or the bottom of clay pots work excellent in this regard. Once removed, place the stone into its own aquarium. Water movement over the eggs is vital to the well-being of the eggs. A properly placed air stone should suffice nicely. Ensure the air stone is supplying ample water agitation around the eggs.

Prior to the eggs hatching you must make certain that food will be readily available to the larvae. At the time the larvae hatch their overall size will dictate the need to feed them live foods called rotifers.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...hcs3/index.php