help with first batch of clownfish.

[fkrezel]

i have a thought i have been reading and reading , set up my tanks got all my foods and equipment, bought some clownfish and no babies i read these post of people who have pairs that are laying every 12 days, seems like alot of eggs to juggle, i was wondering if someone could help a 15+ year reefer get his dream finally going. if someone would allow me to grow out a batch of their eggs for experience, maybe even keep a few from the batch so that i could pay it forward, im not looking for a super rare batch but something nice. i started this project with my kids and over the past few weeks they grow cold as our fish still try to feel each other out. i live in Philadelphia, willing to pick up. as always i am a new member here and hope to learn a lot on this forum

[Scottt]

To increase your chances of finding some local, maybe post on local reef-club websites also.

[Picassoclowns]

How long have you had your clowns for?

[fkrezel]

How long have you had your clowns for?

My female.oscellarius is about 13 years.old one of my first fish, with males.but no eggs,.the..just recently.squirrel others in breeding tanks and same thing no babies, so the answer.to.your question is probally not long enough, but I am.more then ready to be a daddy lol

[fkrezel]

well relatively new, i know thats probally the problem, just have the itch to raise fry lol

[Picassoclowns]

Why don't you look into mated pairs that are already spawning?
Might speed things up for you a little.

[fkrezel]

any luck tracking some down in philadelphia,bucks area. everyone i talk to seem like im trying to move in on their business, not to mention crazy high prices. like i said before i cant believe there is not another fish guy out there breeding fish and will sell to another reefer at a modest price. anyway im in this for the long haul i love fish amd corals been doing it for 15 years and will go for another 15. but your right breeding pair will speed thngs up lol

[aquagrrl]

Too bad you're not closer; I've been having a bunch of broods that I've just been letting go to the tank because all my rearing equipment is going towards seahorse at the moment.

Did you try just your reef clubs rather than breeders specifically? I have known a lot of reefers that don't bother trying to rear the babies. Also try contacting some of the better fish stores in the area - they might get calls from people wondering what to do with clownfish eggs. If you give them your name, hopefully they'll put anyone with eggs in touch with you.

[url="http://www.marinebreeder.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19065#p19065]This trick[/url] using a straw works quite well for removing eggs from substrate, so if you get a fellow reefer that has eggs on a piece of rock or the glass, you can use it to remove them safely. The closer to hatching the better your chances of incubating.

[fkrezel]

yeah i wish nobody shares in philadelphia lol

[ClownfishHatchery]

any luck tracking some down in philadelphia,bucks area. everyone i talk to seem like im trying to move in on their business, not to mention crazy high prices. like i said before i cant believe there is not another fish guy out there breeding fish and will sell to another reefer at a modest price. anyway im in this for the long haul i love fish amd corals been doing it for 15 years and will go for another 15. but your right breeding pair will speed thngs up lol

What information are you trying to find out? Make a list of your questions and post them here. I am sure you will get a lot of helpful info. It seems like from your setup that you are off to a good start. Now you just have to be patient and wait. The wait will be a lot less time if you buy a proven pair of clowns, but then it's still not a guarantee that they will resume breeding right away or even ever.

As for people sharing, IME a lot of hatcheries/breeders don't let "outsiders' in because it is a business for them and it's their livelyhood. A breeder I was trying to talk to before I started told me, you can't expect to go into Kentucky Fried Chicken and ask for the Colonel's secret recipe. I was kind of shocked when he said that, but I understand his point of view. He did show tell me places to go and research and that was actually half of the fun. I valued the time just experiementing and learning from my mistakes. Now a days, the internet is so full of peoples build threads and clownfish breeding that you can virtually find all the different techniques for every part of the breeding process from the build to selling wholesale and retail. Don't cheat yourself out of the experience by taking shortcuts. Soak it all in. I am sure you will enjoy the process a lot more that way, but like I said, ask away. There are a lot of experienced people here that will do all they can to help you. Best of luck!!

[fkrezel]

Yes your right I guess he keeping the fish is the easy part , my difficulty would come obtaing good pairs, and foods to feed when the fry hatch I have read some books that prepare you for the hatch, but reading and doing are 2 different things. I know the first 4-6 days or so u feed rotifers then I get lost, I guess the transition from live to dead food would be tricky, I mean at some point rotifers get to small to eat , I have cyclopeese frozen and brine both alive and frozen. I'm cheering for this Jew pair of mochas to breed it be cool to start. I will take your advise and post quesions, I understand the livelyhood aspect but for me its a hobby nothing more, just my part to help bring some fish I to he world