Breeding Clownfish

Unlike many species of marine fish, breeding clownfish is a relatively simple process, once you have the basics down.  They are fairly prolific breeders, producing large eggs, and consequently large fry, which are able to eat prepared foods much easier than tiny fry, so your success rate in raising the young will be higher.

Depending on the type of clownfish you have chosen, you’ll need a 20 or 30-gallon tank.  If you are serious about breeding clownfish, they should be the only kind that is kept in the tank.  Smaller, non-aggressive fish can be added, but once spawning commences, they will be seen as invaders, and chased by the clownfish, which puts stress on the breeding pair.  Keeping the tank stress free is one of the key elements of success.  Populate your tank, and use a skimmer and canister or drip filter to keep it clean of ammonia, and oxygenated.

If you prefer, you can buy a group of young juveniles, but raising them to maturity so that a breeding pair emerges, can take time.   If you want to take a shortcut, many suppliers sell mated pairs. Alternatively, you can observe a tank of clown fish, and select two that travel and hang out together.

In a group of clown fish, the largest will be the female, the next largest the male, and the rest of the group will remain small, and sexually undeveloped.  This is a natural selection process that provides for “replacements” in the event that one of the dominant pair, dies.  Should you lose your female, the male will then change into a female, and one of the juvenile fish will become the breeding male.  Once a fish changes from male, to female, it cannot change back.  This is an excellent reason not to choose what you think is a male and female, based on their color characteristics, as it’s always possible that the fish has morphed to another sex, without a change in its markings.

Clown fish like a “natural” type setting, which means a saltwater tank with crushed coral gravel or sand as a substrate, and at the very least, a clay pot to use as a spawning surface. In the wild, they would likely choose an anemone, and since they live around live rock, having some of that in your tank, makes the conditions optimal.

The natural breeding cycle of the clown fish is dictated by the phases of the moon, something that is almost impossible to duplicate in an aquarium. But it is necessary to have a good lighting system to establish a regular day/night routine. That will work just as well.

Clown fish are not great parents. And some are cannibalistic. Once the eggs are laid, you can either remove your clay pot, keeping the eggs moist, to another small tank, or you can keep watch as the orange eggs’ color fades, and eyes appear inside them. When the eyes turn silver around day 8, they are about to hatch, and will need to be rescued.  The simplest way is to sit up at night with a flashlight to shine in a corner of the tank. The fry will flock to the light, and you can scoop them out.

Your Comprehensive Resource on Creating the Best Tropical Fish Tank Possible

The Encyclopedia of Exotic Tropical Fishes for Freshwater Aquariums is an inspiring resource. The book is separated into two sections, with the first part encompassing six chapters of both general and specific fishkeeping information and the second part offering detailed profiles of 1000 freshwater species. All fish enthusiasts will appreciate the down-to-earth writing style and superb images by some of the world’s top photographers. This practical reference also features anatomical drawings, multiple tip boxes, and over 2800 full-color photographs.

Click here to find out more and get your copy.

Save On Your Fish Supplies

Get special savings on premium fish food, filters, aquariums, medications and more at Petco. Click here for savings. Find everything from aquariums & bowls to filters to heaters.