Snowflake Clownfish Breeding Project

Roots

Roots

Member
I'm starting this thread to share my journey as I attempt to setup a breeding tank for a new pair of Sustainable Aquatics Snowflake Clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris. I just received my "Bonded Pair of SA Snowflakes today. I ordered them from Live Aquaria "Diver's Den". I payed $167 for the pair, which I am happy with. They are beautiful fish and arrived healthy, and lively. I am setting them up in a 20 gal. long aquarium. At the moment it's very bare and lacks any kind of real aquascape. Just a shallow sand bed and a "Bio-Wheel" filter. I used a sponge from my refugium in my DT to seed the biological filter. I'll be getting a bunch of cured live rock tomorrow and I'm going to be adding some decorative Macro Algaes and chaeto. Just planning on using CFL lighting for the time being, so no corals or anemones. The purpose of this tank is to see if I can successfully get these fish to spawn and try and rear the fry up and sell them. So here are the fishes as they were being acclimated and just after being introduced to their new home. They DO seem "Bonded" and were immediately swimming together.

roots-albums-new-fish-picture23742-floating-new-snowflake-clowns.jpg


roots-albums-new-fish-picture23743-drip-acclimating-new-clowns.jpg


roots-albums-new-fish-picture23744-just-introduced-aquarium.jpg


roots-albums-new-fish-picture23745-just-introduced-aquarium.jpg


:smoking:
 
Roots

Roots

Member
I have a Guinea Pig and a Ferret, among other animals.

I got a bunch of rock today. I'm going to boil it and make it sterile. Create an appealing aquascape using some epoxy putty and allow the rock to become live again with beneficial bacteria but I'll know there are no hitchhikers in my breeder.
 
Roots

Roots

Member
A FTS of the new tank with the 20 lbs. of rock. I am going to be adding a bunch of decorative Macro Algae. I have some Red Gracilaria on the way and I'm gonna get some other cool ones. Maybe some Halimeda and I saw one called Pink Galaxy on reef cleaners.org that looked awesome for a planted tank.

roots-albums-new-fish-picture23746-20-gal-long-breeder-tank.jpg
 
Roots

Roots

Member
Haha, as if I didn't know it would happen, as soon as I added the rock, the water parameters went berserk and swung all crazy outta control! So I implemented backup plan and the New Clownfish will spend a little while living in the refugium of my DT until I get their permanent home properly sorted out and water parameters are stable again. I anticipate it taking a good 2-4 weeks now. I was hoping that sterilizing the rocks in boiling water would prevent such a bad water quality swing, but I already knew better in the back of my mind. They should be fine in the Fuge for a few weeks though. It's a cozy little Honeymoon Suite.
 
ddelozier

ddelozier

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RS Ambassador
Im with you.. Had my 92 setup and stable, then added 80 more lbs of rock...cycle started all over.
 
Roots

Roots

Member
Thanks guys. I am loving them. I am still waiting for them to start eating really well though. So far they only eat a little bit each time I feed them. Once their permanent home gets going and they start spawning I'll let you guys all know for sure. The fry will be raised up and the juveniles will be sold once they are large enough. ReefSanctuary members will get a chance to get some if they so desire, provided that I actually get that far! LOL
 
whippetguy

whippetguy

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Your new macro should love the high trates, phates in the tank. Give them a chance to get a good foothold.
 
Roots

Roots

Member
whippetguy said:
Your new macro should love the high trates, phates in the tank. Give them a chance to get a good foothold.
Click to expand...
Yup, when I got my red grasilaria I put some in my breeder and the rest in my fugue. So I will have a pretty cool and colorful aquascape despite not having any corals in the tank....


A question for anyone with any knowledge of breeding Clownfishes (I'll be researching this as much as I possibly can before making any additions to the breeder tank)....

What other organisms are safe for a breeder besides the breeding pair of fishes and obviously macro algae and pods. Can I put in a CUC like some snails and limpets at some point? I know I probably should not use any crabs or shrimps, but are there any cool or useful creatures that should be or could be put into a breeder tank?

Here's my tank currently and the latter part of the video shows the new Clowns in the refugium....
[video=youtube;ifTzDyWMcYE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifTzDyWMcYE[/video]
 
Roots

Roots

Member
Well,... My female Snowflake is dead... this project is over and I doubt I'll be coming back to it any time soon.
 
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