How to get clowns to lay eggs in clay pot?

[jaevans96]

My two occellaris clowns have been laying eggs for about 3 months now on my live rock (same spot). So I put a clay pot next to where they have been laying the eggs for about a week now and they just laid another batch on the live rock again. Should i try to put the pot exactly where their spot has been? It’s kind of a tricky spot to really place a tile or a pot on.

 

[Stealthreefer]

That's their love rock. Try to work with the rock.
When people breed fish on clay pots I think they only have the pots and don't have rocks available. When I bred egg laying fish my tank was basically pots and pipes only.

 

[Frank SM]

You can try to wedge the pot in there but you risk turning them off and they stop laying. If you are serious about raising clowns, give it a try. If you are doing it just to see, I would leave them alone.

 

[jaevans96]

That's their love rock. Try to work with the rock.
When people breed fish on clay pots I think they only have the pots and don't have rocks available. When I bred egg laying fish my tank was basically pots and pipes only.

Yeah thats kind of what I figured they showed a little interest in the pot like swimming through and nipping a bit but ultimately they always would go back to the spot. I might try and lean a tile next to it and see if she lays there. Last resort would be breaking a piece of the tile off and gluing it to the rock.

 

[jaevans96]

You can try to wedge the pot in there but you risk turning them off and they stop laying. If you are serious about raising clowns, give it a try. If you are doing it just to see, I would leave them alone.

I originally put the pot right where the spot was but i think they were turned off because it was too close to the glass and they didn't feel comfortable. I was thinking either lying a tile instead of the pot where the spot is and if that doesnt work then breaking a smaller piece off and gluing it to the rock. I didnt get them planning to raise clownfish but now after 3 months of them continuing to lay eggs and researching I figured i’d give it a go and see what happens so im not really committed to it if the tile doesnt work then I think I’ll just let it be.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Just place right there leave alone

 

[jaevans96]

Just place right there leave alone

So you think if i just leave the pot where it’s at they’ll eventually host it after awhile?

 

[James M]

you cant force them to use the clay pot since they are already have a designated spot for eggs. Remove the rock and you'll have a higher chance of them using the pot

 

[jaevans96]

Just thought id send an update. After trying to cover the rock with broken pieces of clay pot and putting a full one around the area, even though they showed interest they still went after any part of the rock that wasn't covered. So i give up on getting them to lay on the terracotta just cause id rather not stress them out. I think i might just purchase a vossen trap and use that if anything. Id try and remove the “love” rock all together but i have hammer and frogspawn encrusted on it and i cant move those.

 

[D-Nak]

I've used a Vossen trap in the past and it works. However, getting them to lay on a tile or pot is even easier. After the eggs have hatched, try to lean a 4x4 tile on top of the area (or any size that makes sense) and see what happens. The trick to get it to work is that they can't be able to move the tile. You'd be surprised how strong the female is--I had one that was able to push a tile away from the rock she'd liked to lay out. If you can wedge the tile into the rock, that will help.

 

[jaevans96]

I've used a Vossen trap in the past and it works. However, getting them to lay on a tile or pot is even easier. After the eggs have hatched, try to lean a 4x4 tile on top of the area (or any size that makes sense) and see what happens. The trick to get it to work is that they can't be able to move the tile. You'd be surprised how strong the female is--I had one that was able to push a tile away from the rock she'd liked to lay out. If you can wedge the tile into the rock, that will help.

Thank you i’ll try that after this batch hatches in a few days. I took all the terracotta pieces out of the tank for now. I have one pot thats split into two i’ll try and use this to lean against the spot. That might be my issue is im not wedging it hard enough for it to stick and they just go around it.