Breed Clownfish | Saltwater Fish

[Luker2006]

Hello all,

I have never owned clownfish before but have kept saltwater fish in the past. We bought an 8 gallon biorb about 2 months ago. We have now 2 orange tank bread clowns and they seem really happy flying around the tank together. To cut a long story short one is definitely bigger than the other, about 2 days ago the male did the sideways seizure dance and the female tends to twitch vertically in 1 area of the tank. Watching them today shes nipping his tail and we have spotted tubes from the middle white stripes on both clowns. Wife has spotted them nipping at the dead coral we have as well. Over the last hour the long tubes have come off (not sure if they were going the bathroom at the same time). Does this sound promising? Nothing else in the tank apart from 2 turbo snails.

Thanks

luke

[UNIXMan]

Over the last hour the long tubes have come off

Long tubes? I read a post about that (even replied). I'll find it and post a link. Otherwise, it sounds like it will be soon. Your first mention of tubes had me thinking it was time. They each have a mating tube; the female's is thicker to deposit the eggs, and the male's has a little curved tip. The female's tube will start to show a day or two before she lays. The male may not show until he milts. In my experience this is particular to each individual fish and not a rule among species.

I don't know what type of coral you have in there, but if you have room I suggest you purchase a small PVC coupler pipe -- 3-inch, maybe?. Wash it well and place it on its side. It will give them a smooth surface for the eggs, and the turbos won't go near it until it starts to grow algae. If you don't do this, and they lay eggs on the coral, the snails will mow them down. The clowns won't be able to stop them no matter how hard they try. Do NOT use a clay flower pot or tile, like many websites and forums tell you to - it will leach lead into your tank. You can use a ceramic or glass tile, but the PVC pipe is better because it will give them a "cave" feeling.

Good luck!

[UNIXMan]

By "long tubes" you don't mean this, do you?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=34#p149