Snowflake clownfish breeding

[mcmc1717]

I recently got a NON proven mated pair of snowflake clown fish, the male has just started cleaning off a turtle shell in the aquarium, how long until they should spawn? (and should I got an identical turtle shell so the pair wont freak if I take it out to collect the eggs)

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[ReeferMadness09]

How old are the clownfish or if thats unknown, how big are they? Cleaning a spot is a good sign that egg laying might happen but I also have juvenile pairs that are FAR away from spawning that clean as well. If they are mature enough i'd say its possible you could be looking at weeks or months. If you think this is the case i would buy another turtle shell to replace the one currently in the tank as changing anything up with breeding pairs can cause them to stop. HTH

 

[mcmc1717]

The female is about an inch to an inch and a half and the male is about half an inch to a inch.

 

[ReeferMadness09]

They're pretty juvenile yet. If they're sleeping together and are bonded then I'd say you're off to a good start. As far as spawning goes I'd say you are still a ways off yet. In my own opinion its not likely to see spawning until the female is at least into the 2.5in mark. I doubt a female would be sexually mature enough to spawn until somewhere in that ball park.

 

[mcmc1717]

Just took a remeasure, I measured off the first time by an inch, they are actually 1 and a half to 2 and a half inches, sorry for the mistake

 

[ReeferMadness09]

No problem, if only we could teach them to lay down to make measuring easier haha

 

[mcmc1717]

lol, also I put in a pot lat week so that they could call it home, they just started to find it of interest and now the female is lying in it, her stomach is on the bottom of it she is not floating, is this usual? (the male is just hanging out by the pot)

 

[Bunnee911]

Mine have gone so far as to make dry runs. Still no eggs.