Nest Cleaning in the Lightning Pair – pre-spawn behavior anyone?

August 7, 2011 TheLightningProject 27 comments

We are 110% on the right track. I know I alluded to the nest cleaning behavior here and other places, but today I caught it on camera. The Lightning Maroon was getting into it too, but the male PNG White Stripe Maroon Clown was doing the bulk of the substrate clearing. Of course, we know people who’ve had clownfish pairs do this behavior for months, or even years. Still, based solely on my clown pairs, you don’t see the female doing any of this unless she’s actually in the mood. I didn’t catch the Lighting Maroon doing any cleaning – I think my getting closer to the tank this evening kinda put “her” off. This is at least the third time I’ve seen them both going at it around the 6:00 PM hour…normally right when we’re having dinner. At any rate, enjoy the videos!

Forgive my wife’s laughing at the start of this one – our son was tasting lemonade for the first time and we’re pretty sure, based on the hysterical facial contortions he was making, it’s a love-hate relationship.

Breeding, Images and Videos, Lighting Maroon Clownfish, Lightning Maroon Updates, Other Maroon Clownfish Breeding, images, lightning maroon clownfish, pairing, pre-spawn behavior, prespawn, video, white stripe maroon clownfish

#1 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

sir, i want buy Lighting Maroon Clownfish ,now do you have baby fish
thanks
nicky
#2 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

sir ,now do you have baby fish? if have do you can sale to me?
#3 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.

Nick, no babies yet. You can bet I’ll be posting about eggs, babies, and juveniles if/when they occur!
#4 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

ok,i will wait ,if you have pls told me
#5 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

why blue zoo they tell me, they have this fish can sale to me
- #6 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.
  
  I have not heard anything about Blue Zoo having any new Lightning Maroons other than the one that they sold me over a year ago. They have the right of first refusal on any initial offspring I produce – that was something I unilaterally have offered to them.
#7 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

sir ,if you have baby fish,1pcs you sale how many?
#8 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

but they told me $4000/pc, if payment to they ,they can shipment,and if you have baby you can not sale to other customer ?
nick
- #9 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.
  
  Nicky, it is news to me that Blue Zoo would have any more Lightning Maroons to offer. If they do, they are not from me. To answer the second question – if I do succeed in producing offspring from the Lightning Maroon pairing, I have offered Blue Zoo the right of first refusal on the offspring. That means that IF they buy them all, then yes, Blue Zoo would be the only place to get them. If they don’t, then yes, I’d be looking at other avenues to sell the fish.
#10 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

Matt Pedersen thanks you,but i know blue zoo only have 1pcs(sale to you),this fish blue zoo have stock?
nick
#11 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.

Nick, I checked in with Blue Zoo and was told they do not have any of these currently in stock – i.e. none that are for sale at this time, at a price of $4000, ready to ship. The one I have and write about here is still the only one that anyone is aware that is currently alive and in captivity. And, as my fish, I can tell you it is NOT for sale at any price 😉
#12 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

They cost 4000 each. Please wire money and we ship.
Customer Service Department
888-479-2583
310-952-9199 fax
http://www.bluezooaquatics.com
this they to me information
- #13 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.
  
  What can I tell you Nicky, I ran that info by the guys at Blue Zoo personally and was told they do not have any Lightning Maroons nor have had any since the one I had. Who are you actually dealing with at Blue Zoo???
#14 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

Matt Pedersen , so i can not payment to they?because they not have stock?
nicky
- #15 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.
  
  Again, there’s only one Lightning Maroon in captivity that I’m aware of, and it’s in my tanks here and isn’t for sale. Blue Zoo does not have any Lightning Maroon Clownfish to sell you at this time and that is what they told me when I asked yesterday, so I don’t know why you’re saying that they DO have any and that they will take your money and send you one. Maybe they have a LINE on one, maybe they are anticipating having one, but right now, I’ve been told they have none.
#16 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

ok,thanks you
nicky
#17 | Written by Jen about 13 years ago.

Matt, very awesome vids. I have a pair of gold-striped maroon clowns, the female of which is about 5 1/2 to 6″ in size, the male around 3″. The female is about 8 years old, the male only 2-3. I am an avid maroon clown lover, really never had any desire to have clownfish until I met my big girl in the display tank at the assisted living community I worked at. No one ever maintained the tank or fed them except for me, and I fell in love with the amazing personality she had and her beautiful merlot color. So when I left, I told them she was coming with me, and she did. I got lucky when I bought the male about a year later and offered him to her — I had him in the fish net and let her observe him through the netting so I could pull him out if needed, and she immediately accepted him, started rubbing all over him and doing the wiggle dance. I let him loose and they’ve been inseparable ever since, been together for over a year now. They do the whole nest-clearing thing too, sweeping sand all over the place until it’s down to bare glass and sand is piled high up on the rocks and covering everything. It drives me up the wall, so much that I just moved them to their own Biocube setup with their anemone where they can sweep sand all they want. 🙂 Just wanted to comment on your bit about the female only doing it when “in the mood” — from what I’ve watched in my pair, my big female clears sand every day all day, just as often as the male does, and to date they have only laid one batch of eggs in the past year. Getting them to breed isn’t my priority so I’m sure they don’t have 100% perfect conditions for it, but nonetheless they exhibit all the behavior anyway. They sweep sand together at the same time, or take turns depending on how OCD they’re getting about it on a certain day. They both also pick up bits of crushed coral with their mouths and carry it away from the spot they’ve cleared and drop it elsewhere. It’s funny to watch them excavate, but annoying when there is white sand all over every rock, mushroom, etc. in the tank. I am by no means an expert in clown mating behavior, just wanted to share what I’ve seen in my pair, in that the female does partake and doesn’t necessarily indicate impending breeding. Based on their extremely close bond and the female’s size and age/experience, I figure she must know what she’s doing. She also bosses her little boyfriend around all the time, she has him totally whipped as he does her bidding. It’s pretty cute. I wish you big luck with this breeding effort. I saw that lightning clown when she was up for sale on BZ and would have sold a kidney to get the cash together to buy her. I’m jealous! May be in line for a baby someday!
#18 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.

Thanks for the well-wishes Jen! Indeed, every pair’s behavior may be a little different…some of my maroons “Sweep” a lot, others not at all. The other PNG pair doesn’t move ANY substrate. The Lightning however, is constantly moving HUGE rocks around the tank…it’s gotten to the point where the Goniopora frags are left to fend for themselves…I’m sick of putting them someplace only to have her move them or overturn them!
#19 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

do you have photo,send to me?
#20 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

Matt Pedersen now do you got baby?
#21 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.

Nick, did I post about babies? No, I posted about pre spawn behavior and a hunch that perhaps they spawned while I was gone and ate the clutch before I returned. Even if there were eggs laid tomorrow, it would be at least until early 2012 before they’d be ready to sell. I appreciate your excitement, but rest assured if you follow the blog you will definitely know about any babies long before they are ever available for purchase.
#22 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

ok,thabk you,i will wait,and check every day about baby news
#23 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

hi pedersen,i have check your vdio about lightning, can asked you,you put it as female?why? do you can tell me,
- #24 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.
  
  Here’s why I allowed the Lightning to become a female – https://lightning-maroon-clownfish.com/?p=611
#25 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

I do not think it’s still not the spawning behavior of the phenomenon,
#26 | Written by nicky about 13 years ago.

http://glassbox-design.com/2008/reef-news-euro-reef-calcium-reactors-azoo-recipe-with-fm-compound-x-sunset-wrasse-caribbean-lionfish-png-super-maroons/ pls, to check this web,same have ?
- #27 | Written by Matt Pedersen about 13 years ago.
  
  That fish shown in your link to Glassbox Design was collected in 2008 by Steve Robinson. It was the first “Lightning” Maroon collected from the wild. It is my understanding that it is dead and has been for a long time.

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Nest Cleaning in the Lightning Pair – pre-spawn behavior anyone?