Starting from scratch
Thursday, March 21, 2013 3:20 PM
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Hi guys, I just wanted to get some quick feedback from people with more experience than myself regarding breeding ages and sizes. I've obviously done my homework on it all and I've even raised clown larvae before but I've never bred clowns from a pair that I got as babies. I estimate my current pair's age at around 10 months and I got them as very small juvies. To be honest, I don't even think they've totally sorted everything out yet. They still squabble especially during feedings, but sleep together and are hosted in my mushroom garden together. In the past when I raised larvae, they came from adults that I purchased as an established pair or at least from pairs I created from mature adults. Essentially I've never tried creating my own mated pair from equally sized, immature fish and I have no idea how long I should expect it all to take. This pair was probably a month or two old when I got them about 9 months ago. They are right around an inch and a half to an inch and three quarters right now and there is only a tiny size difference in favor of one of the two. I've read that they usually won't spawn until at least a year old but does this mean that they take a year to complete the pair bond or a year to mature to spawning size? I've seen males spawn at this size; not females, but I'd say both are large enough to be considered 'matured males' if one were to view them out of context, if that makes sense. What do you guys think? I'm excited to raise larvae from this pair because, in a sense, this will be a first for me. Thanks in advance, Joe
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