1. Marine Aquaculture By Rudy Cordle
Culturing Clownfish
Marine Aquaculture By
Rudy Cordle

2. 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)

3. Amphiprion ocellaris – Ocellaris Clownfish
One of the most common grown clownfish.
Hardy, cheap, abundant and a great first saltwater fish.
Makes a great movie.

4. Economics of Clownfish
Most inexpensive is $12.99 for Ocellaris.
Most expensive is $ for Super Black Ice Snowflake Clownfish.

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Clownfish eggs

8. 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 eggs for the smaller species such as percula, or up to several thousand eggs for maroon clownfish.
At an age of days clownfishes will undergo metamorphosis.
This is when clownfish “earn their stripes” and will begin to look like real clownfish.

9. 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.

10. 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.

12. 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.

13. Advantages and Disadvantages
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

14. References http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/2/fish
shop.azaquaculture.com/...base/clownfish_culture/breeding_clownfish_1‎