Cali Kid Corals

Clown Fish Pre-Spawning?

The last couple of days, my clownfish (which are still in the 14gal) are doing that vibration dance where they vibrate really quickly while swimming on their side to show to the other they are becoming submissive. They are already paired up (haven't mated yet) and have been doing this a bit for a while but just about an hour each day. They do it for a minute or two, and take a break, then start again. I know they are already "together" because they share territory, the smaller one swims after the bigger one, they NEVER and I really mean NEVER, have fought in my aquarium, and they sleep together EVERY SINGLE NIGHT in the anthelia that Lyn gave me (BTW Lyn, it is still doing great and the clowns love it. Thanks again! ;)). Also, it isn't just the male that is vibrating to the female, the female is vibrating back and doesn't get aggressive the slightest bit. I have NEVER seen them bit/nip/chase/attack the other. I'm not worried about them pairing up because they already had when I bought them. They have never been sick or gotten Ich, but I'm just wondering if they are doing this as Pre-Spawning, or if they are doing something else? I'm watching them as I type this, and they just seem to be trying to "show off" to the other. Anybody got any ideas on what they are doing?
 
maybe they are dying in which case you should [quote author=Euphyllia link=topic=5968.msg75460#msg75460 date=1232340024]
If it gets sick, bring him back to the LFS. If he dies, then thats that...
[/quote]
 
I've read on sites that they do this to decide which is male and which is female, is that true or is it just a regular thing? What is this a sign of? If it isn't mating, and they have already paired up, then what is the purpose of them doing this? They started about the 20th of December and at the 23rd or so, they took a break. Then it started again about the 8th-12th of January. Are they going to swap genders?

My Thoughts: I have read on sites that this is for when they are becoming a pair and a determining gender and they want to be the female, so they are fighting over which gets to be female. With my pair, they seem to be very considering of the other one, so I personally think they are arguing over which one will let the other be the female. So basically they want the other one to be more dominant because they really like each other. That is kind of like when people fight over who gets to pay the bill at a restraunt. That is just my thought. Is that a possibility or is it something else?
 
[quote author=GreshamH link=topic=5976.msg75574#msg75574 date=1232386652]
I've seen them do that for years with out mating :(
[/quote]

That's all I really have to say, anything else is speculation on my part.
 
Mmm, normally saying two clownfish are "paired up" can be a bit misleading some times. I have two Ocellaris that take refuge in the same anemone, one is clearly the female, and the other the male -the size distinction is obvious. I say they are a "bonded" pair, in that they're sort ..."dating" for a lack of better words. I occasionally see my female intimidating the male, causing him to do his shiver dance. If/when my clowns decide to go ahead and lay eggs, then I would refer to them as a "mated" pair. So to me, it sounds like you have a bonded pair of clowns.
Because you bought them as a "pair" does not necessarily mean that the female you purchased will stay a female ... maybe they will switch sexes, possibly due to environmental or other such factors? So long as neither of them is getting hurt or battered, I would just sit back and enjoy -try not to look at everything in a time line sense. They will work it out eventually, given time.
 
I think when females get ready to spawn, they'll start to "clean" a spot on the rocks where they're getting ready to lay their eggs. I haven't ever seen this first hand though - I've had my female for 4 years (with 3 different males/juvis) and she's never done anything like it.

The twitching is probably just them reaffirming their dominant/submissive relationship - at least that's my guess.

They won't switch sexes though. Clownfish go from asexual to male to female, and never in reverse. The presence of a dominant female should keep the male from making the transition to female.
 
They are a "Bonded" pair. I didn't know exactly how to phrase that because people have told me mated pairs are the ones that lay eggs.
Mine have never done that. I know what you mean by the female intimidating the male (story of my first two I got which fought so much had to take them back). But the female doesn't do that at all. She has never even lunged for him to make him submissive. And I mean they have never even put their mouths on the others fins or body. Both of them have never attempted to intimidate the other or try and gain dominance. But trust me, I know exactly what you are talking about when you said "Intimidate" because my first two (which I took back) took "Intimidation" and turned it into extreme aggression. But my B&W clowns aren't doing that vibration dance due to intimidation. And I'm serious. They are sitting right next to my computer, so I see them almost all the time. And when I wake up at night, they are rolling over each other in the sand and the anthelia. I don't think they are doing the vibration dance because of intimidation from the other (the female is even doing it towards the male). In all the cases I read about/heard of, it is always due to intimidation from the female and mostly the male will do it. But in my case, they both do it, and right now they are swimming in my xenia. But as I observe them, they are both swimming on their sides, vibrating, and swimming in circle around each other. They are also rolling on top of each other, so I think this is more than just that vibration dance. I've seen YouTube vids of exactly what my clowns are doing, but the people that made the vids said their clowns were pre-spawning.

Go to these URLs. It is what mine have been doing. They have done all this before, but now are starting again. They are more into vibrating & rolling on their sides, but they also swim in curvy patterns in the same spot around/next to each other. Take a look at the videos. My clowns are doing the same, but a bit less often...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsWBLKQOux8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dJUdQbs_T4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlYgfy3kQfg
 
But I'm serious, they have never even lunged at the other one to scare it. They are both vibrating. I doubt it is just to gain dominance. They don't do anything even at the slightest aggression. They both just vibrate. They don't even try to gain dominance. I'll take a video.
Will videos post anywhere on the site?
 
Ok, so I didn't get a video, but here are some picture. two of them are from past times they did this. I didn't do a very good job taking them...
 
It's really doesn't mean much. I mean, define "pre-spawning" and "mated". Sure you could say it's "pre-spawning"....anywhere from a few hours to a few years in advance. It could either be a dominance display or a reaffirmation of a bond. So as much as you'd like to believe your fish are about to spawn, odds are they probably aren't (unless you've had them paired in the same tank, usually for a long time) or they have spawned before.

FWIW, I've used mated and paired and bonded in the same meaning. When I'm referring to clowns that have proven to lay eggs, I say spawning pair.

edit: bolded some words. Yes, I made 'bolded' a word.
 
Um, so I think it is getting serious now. I'm not sure if I mentioned they were wild caught (that may make a difference). I found this on the internet so I'm going to copy and paste it below...
(some guy asked about his clowns and this was an answer)

"Yes, look also for tattered fins on the female from the male nipping at her. they will also begin to clean a spot on the rocks when they are ready."

Here is a chart of what they have been doing...

December 20-30 - Vibration dance showing dominance
January 1 - 5 - Male did the clown fish waggle (where the male swims up and down in front of the female then swims in a head-up fashion and darts towards her)
January 5 - Feb 10 - Occasional vibration dance and they moved some of the rocks around where they sleep to make a nice, flat spot.
February 12 - I noticed the female's fins had been ripped by the male (look at the info I posted above from another website)
February 14 - Swimming around the bottom of the tank (where they sleep at night together), vibration dance, clown fish waggle, Swimming together in slow and weird ways, swimming in circles around each other every time they come within a distance of 2-3cm, the FEMALE and MALE BOTH are doing the vibration dance facing each other and doing the clown fish waggle (mostly the male), and the female will go around the sand by herself seeming to be looking for something/somewhere and then swims back to the male.

I'm almost positive this is spawning (by that I mean the indications of it before they actually do it). I'm pretty sure that is what they are doing, but since it is the first time that I know of since I've had them, they might get up to it and then wimp out. Is this what other people's clowns have done before spawning? And also, are wild caught clowns more likely to spawn?
 
As I watch them, the male is becoming more and more aggressive and nipping at the females fins again. Then the female turns on her side and vibrates and they both swim in a up-down motion facing each other.
 
[quote author=GreshamH link=topic=5976.msg75574#msg75574 date=1232386652]
I've seen them do that for years with out mating :(
[/quote]

Did you see that?? LOL

let us know when you see eggs.. ;D
 
Ok I'll let you guys know. I'm not sure if it will be soon, or if they are just doing this to assure their dominance, but if they ever lay eggs, trust me... I'll let you guys know. And I'll probably go post happy with pictures of them and the eggs so don't worry about missing it! :)

This is, if they ever lay eggs (which I'm sure they will, just not sure when!) :)
 
Last night I was watching my clownfish. The male and female were doing the vibration thing. Then the male started biting the stomach area of the female which made me come to realize something on the female (BTW, since they are now in the 34g, they have been WAY better and not fighting at all + always swimming together). Between her first & second stripe, her body was bulging outwards and downwards. The last time I had fed them was that morning and so then I fed them again (because they love to eat). That area of her stomach is still really fat, and there is a obvious visual difference between her and the male. I know this is pretty unlikely, but since all of these things have been happening, could it be possible she is going to lay eggs? ???
 
Since you just moved them my guess would be no as they probably need to be comfortable with new surroundings and make a nest of sorts before they lay eggs.
 
Back
Top