Culturing ClownfishMarine Aquaculture

ByRudy Cordle

Name, Genus and species of clownfish

• Premium Picasso (Amphiprion percula)• Picasso (Amphiprion percula) • Platinum (Amphiprion percula) • Black Snowflake (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Premium Snowflake(Amphiprion ocellaris)• Naked Ocellaris (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Midnight (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Domino (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Ocellaris (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Misbar Ocellaris (Amphiprion ocellaris) • Black Ocellaris (Amphiprion ocellaris)

• Goldflake Maroon (Premnas biaculeatus)• Spotcintus (Amphiprion bicinctus)• Pearl-Eye Clarkii (Amphiprion clarkii) • Black Saddleback (Amphiprion polymnus) • Pink Skunk (Amphiprion perideraion) • Orange Skunk (Amphiprion sandaracinos) • Fire (Amphiprion ephippium) • Tomato (Amphiprion frenatus) • Cinnamon (Amphiprion melanopus) • Barberi (Amphiprion barberi) • McCullochi (Amphiprion mccullochi)

Amphiprion ocellaris – Ocellaris Clownfish

• One of the most common grown clownfish.• Hardy, cheap, abundant and a great first

saltwater fish.• Makes a great movie.

Economics of Clownfish

• Most inexpensive is $12.99 for Ocellaris.• Most expensive is $249.99 for Super Black Ice

Snowflake Clownfish.

• Clownfish are among the most popular species of aquarium fish in the world.

• A United Nations report found that at least 145,000 of them were traded internationally between 1997 and 2002.

• Raised in Singapore, Taiwan, and the US.• By 2011, Taiwan could breed 2 million

clownfish and generate NT$100 million in the lucrative ornamental fish market, while helping save the species in the wild

Life cycle of clownfish • The eggs looked like little capsules about 2

to 3 mm long and 1 mm wide.• The eggs take about 8 to 10 days to hatch.• Larval period of 10 to 20 days.• Critical stages are the two first days of

larvae life and the moment metamorphosis takes place, when mortality can be high.

• After about 25 days, juveniles can be moved to a different tank to begin acclimation.

• Clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites.

Clownfish eggs

Reproduction• Clownfishes were among the first ornamental species to be

commercially bred in the 1980’s.• Clownfishes typically reach sexual maturity at an age of 8-18

months.• Spawning occurs during daylight hours and a small clutch of

eggs is laid usually on the underside of a rock or other solid base.

• A typical nest may contain 100-300 eggs for the smaller species such as percula, or up to several thousand eggs for maroon clownfish.

• At an age of 10-14 days clownfishes will undergo metamorphosis.

• This is when clownfish “earn their stripes” and will begin to look like real clownfish.

Production methods

• RAS tank systems used for Breeding Adults.• Prior to hatching, the eggs are moved to a

small tank with very low water movement.• Round tank is preferred to enhance livability.• Tank should be fitted with both mechanical

and biological filters.

Feeding

• The first few days the fry should be fed live rotifers that have been prepped and fed phytoplankton.

• After fry reach about 5mm start to feed brine shrimp.

• By day 21 start feeding crushed flaked food and large brine shrimp.

Age / Approx. Size Characteristic Food Hatch to day 6-8 / 2.8 to 4.3 mm

Larvae Rotifers

Days 6-14 / 4.3 to 5.2 mm

Metamorphosis/early juvenile (body shape changes from tapered to oval)

Rotifers, powdered flakes

Days 7-14 / 5.2 to 6.8 mm

Forming head stripes Rotifers, brine shrimp nauplii, powdered flakes

Days 14 to 21/ 6.8 to 10 mm

Forming mid-body stripes

Brine shrimp nauplii, powdered flakes

Days 21 to 48 / 10 mm to 3/8 inch

Forming black edges to pectoral fins

Crushed flakes, Cyclop-Eeze

Days 48 to 64 / ½ inch to 5/8 inch

Forming tail stripes and black edges around stripes

Crushed flakes, Cyclop-Eeze, frozen spirulina-enriched adult brine shrimp

Days 64 to 90 / ½ inch to 1 inch

Will continue to form black edging

All the above plus whatever else they can fit into their mouths

Water Chemistry• The temperature should be around 24°C - 27°C.• Salinity should be about 28 ppt.• NH3 should be less than 3 ppm.• pH should be kept about 8.0.• Larval tank should be round.• Use airstone for O2 delivery.• Fry should be kept in very low light prior to 21 days of age.• Slow well circulated water.

Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages• Hardy fish• People tolerant• Easy to raise• Very colorful• Numerous species to

choose from.

• Disadvantages• Some can be very

expensive• Most still wild captured.• Can be territorial.• Saltwater species

References

• http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/2/fish• http://www.aquacon.com/Clownfish_saltwaterfish.html• shop.azaquaculture.com/...base/clownfish_culture/breeding_clownfish_1• http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f190/farming-clownfish-85571.html• www.orafarm.com/products/fish/clowns/• www.marshreef.com/files/raising_clownfish.doc• https://www.worldnaturevideo.com/productlist/Ocean_DVD_category.html• http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2009/07/02/

214558/p1/Cute-%27Finding.htm