How to Mate a Clownfish

Clownfish are a brightly colored fish made famous by the animated film "Finding Nemo." Many saltwater, tropical fish will not spawn in aquariums, but clownfish are an exception. To mate your clownfish, you will need a healthy breeding pair and the patience to wait as they mate, spawn and produce larvae, which will eventually become full-grown clownfish themselves.

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a pair of clownfish to breed. Clownfish are sequential hermaphrodites, meaning that their gender changes as they age. Younger, smaller clownfish are male while the older, larger clownfish are female.

    • 2

      Buy appropriate food for your clownfish. Clownfish need to receive the right nutrients in order to produce healthy, fertile eggs. According to the NetPets website, a clownfish should have a diet consisting of mussels, prawn, squid and green vegetables. You can purchase dried clownfish food containing these ingredients or prepare your own mixture using equal parts of each ingredient.

    • 3

      Feed your clownfish once or twice a day to promote healthy, fertile eggs. John H. Tullock, author of "Clownfish and Sea Anemones," recommends one or two pinches of food at a time. If they eat it all, give them some more. Remove the uneaten food from he tank with an aquarium net. Use the amount you have fed your clownfish as a guideline for future feedings.

    • 4

      Look for signs that spawning has begun. This can take between one and 12 months. If the male clownfish begins to "waggle," thrusting towards the female, then spawning will soon begin. Soon after, the female should deposit her bright orange eggs on a clear spot in the tank. The male will follow and fertilize the eggs.

    • 5

      Watch the eggs for signs that they are ready to hatch. After approximately eight days they will turn from a bright orange color to silver. They will hatch soon after. At this point you can either remove the eggs and place them in a new tank or you can wait for them to hatch and move the larvae to a new tank. After approximately 10 days, the larvae will begin their metamorphosis into adult clownfish.