Ryan's Clownfish Breeding Journal

[jetboy07]

I'm currently 18 and work at my local pet store that carries a very wide variety of 120+ tanks of different freshwater fish, but no saltwater. I have really grown to enjoy clownfish as they are my favorite fish. I just received a pair of Picasso clowns that are very mature and paired for sure as they have been together for 3 years. I have them in a 12g bio cube that was my old tank before I set up my 20 gallon reef tank that is still currently running. I have a flower pot in the center which they swim in occasionally and it looks as if the female is cleaning the inside of the pot a little which seems like a good thing. Long story short, do you guys think is profitable to bread my Picasso clowns and try and make a profit on it by selling them to the owner of my work. The store is a local store and not a chain and I have a good connection with the owner and the store as I have worked there ever since I set up my first reef tank cause I needed to fund the hobby. I take my fish care very seriously and really enjoy the hobby, also should I keep you guys updated with pics and post?

 

[James M]

Sounds like a good plan and a introduction to saltwater fish to your lfs.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Looks good! Welcome to the forum!

 

[Corey Shelk]

First I would ask your boss why they don't sell saltwater in the first place. It is because there is no market where you are? Too expensive to import? Things like that to see if you will be able to sell enough of your offspring to make it profitable and not end up with hundreds of clowns and nothing to do with them. But if there is a market for it where you are, then go for it! That would be fun and, like mentioned before, a great way to introduce saltwater to your store.

 

[jetboy07]

We have 2 barakish tanks set up currently, but I also don’t wanna end up with a bunch of baby clownfish with no home, I’ll have a talk with my boss about it in the next coming days/weeks. I’m sure he would be fine with it consider I take care of a lot of his freshwater tanks during the week doing water changes and such. I’m almost positive he would set up a tank or two for some designer clowns. Thank you for the feedback! Always looking for new advice!

 

[Corey Shelk]

Keep us updated!

 

[NY_Caveman]

Well, if your LFS starts selling clowns, people will want anemones. If you start selling anemones, people will need other supplies, etc., etc. Plus, the profit is in selling supplies, not fish. If you just want to breed clowns I would look for established marine stores and vendors around you as buyers, but that would probably be at a wholesale price. If you have a desired, high end breed, you could try selling them online to end users perhaps. There is a breeding forum and several who have bred here. Searches should provide plenty of information.

 

[jetboy07]

Day 3: The return pump is back in action and I’m confused on why it stopped working for a couple hours? Who knows, probably gonna invest in a new pump for them in the future.

Feeding: Still feeding once a day until the tank establishes more
Foods: I feed all of my clowns a variety of Omega One Flakes, Omega One Pellete, Cobalt Brine Shrimp Flakes, Hikari Frozen Mysis Shrimp, Ocean Nutrition Formula One Frozen, Ocean Nutrition Formula Two Frozen

I also throw in 5ML of Algea Barn OceanMagik Live Phytoplankton, idk how beneficial this is, any input from anyone??

Salinity: 1.023
Temp: 80 degrees
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0.5 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
PH: 8.0

Recap: Female doesn’t sleep in the pot but when the lights come on she swims in the pot, occasionally with the male. At night the female sleeps in the front right corner, while the male sleeps in the pot. More info. To come in the future!