How to Raise Clownfish

The clownfish is a brightly colored fish also referred to as an Anemonefish because it often lives alongside the anemone. The clownfish also has great character and can even change from a male to a female. Clownfish are said to be one of the easiest fish to breed. Here's how to raise a clownfish.

Instructions

1. Prepare the salt water tank. Buy a tank that can hold at least 30 gallons. Prepare the water to a pH of 8.1 to 8.3 and the temperature to between 77 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit. The nitrite level should be less than 20 ppm in a fish-only (FO) aquarium and a nitrite level of less than 5 ppm in a live coral tank or in an aquarium with an anemone.

2. Add shelter and protection. Add artificial coral if this is your first attempt at raising clownfish. Add clownfish-friendly anemone if you are experienced. Clownfish have a close relationship with anemones in the wild. They look to anemones for shelter and protection for themselves and their eggs. The Entacmea quadricolor anemone (AKA bubble-tip anemone) has a good track record. Live anemones are hard to keep, so substitute artificial coral.

3. Buy clownfish that have been raised in captivity. Clownfish were one of the first fish bred in captivity and are hardier than wild-collected clownfish. Their color will be just as bright if fed correctly. Whitespot and other parasite diseases only appear when the conditions are poor.

4. Raise clownfish alone or as a pair. They are very territorial and must be paired with a mate to breed. Alone, they must need the shelter and protection of an anemone or coral substitute.

5. Feed clownfish a varied diet, including seafood, plantonic food, and flake food. The food should be finely chopped depending on their size. Include algae and vitamin C to raise healthy clownfish.

6. Breed clownfish for added enjoyment. Buy two ½-inch fish and let them grow up together. All clownfish are born male and then the dominant fish will change to female if the dominant female has died or there is no female. The tank must contain no other fish and there must be a safe location for spawning. Move the larvae to another tank once they hatch. Have plankton available to feed the small larvae. Increase the size of the food as they grow and develop.