How to Identify Clown Fish Eggs

The clownfish becomes acclimated to the anemone's stings.

Clown fish live 10 to 50 feet deep, in tropical waters near rocky or coral reefs. Although, in the wild, they are dependent on the anemone for shelter and food, they have taken surprisingly well to captivity and do not require the anemone when kept in a tank. A breeding pair of clown fish lay eggs every two weeks, if the conditions in the tank are ideal. The eggs hatch within one week to 10 days.

Instructions

1. Look for a circular pattern of 1/8-inch blobs on a piece of coral or flat rock. Although this doesn't always happen, clown fish generally lay their eggs in a circular pattern.

2. Watch the clown fish, to see if one of them is guarding something. The males guard the egg nest and will fan the eggs with his tail.

3. Check the color. New eggs are the same color as the parent fish. As they age, they turn darker until they are almost black. The older eggs will be clear, with the eyes of the baby clown fish visible as silver or bronze dots, just before they hatch.

References

• Florida Museum of Natural History; Orange Clownfish; Stephanie Boyer
• University of Rhode Island; Growing Ornamentals a Worthy Pursuit; Malia Schwartz