Are these baby clownfish??

[1Meshy]

Hey guys, so last night I noticed a ton of these little things swimming around in the tank.

I thought they were brine shrimp at first (I fed the fish live brine not that long before), but they looked different and swam differently too.

I've never had baby fish before, so I have no idea what clownfish fry look like (I assume they're clownfish fry because those are the only fish I have that are in a pair). Do these look like baby fish? I never noticed an egg nest anywhere in the tank either so that adds to the mystery lol.

Sorry for the potato pictures but they're so small and my camera had a hard time focusing on them.

If they are baby fish, should I try to grow them? Or is it too late for them? I've never grown babies before so I don't know what to do with them!

Any help is much appreciated!!

 

[Ruben's Reef]

Looks more like copepods. I also have a lot of those on my tank.

 

[1Meshy]

Looks more like copepods. I also have a lot of those on my tank.

Hmm.. If they're copepods then why did I suddenly have a ton of them in the tank swimming around all of a sudden? I haven't added any pods to the tank

 

[StatelineReefer]

I can tell they're not pods, but thats about all I can tell. I see they 'lined up in formation' like my bangaii babies used to do, but cardinals are more well developed by the time you see them in open water.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

Interesting. What fishes you have on the tank?

 

[1Meshy]

Interesting. What fishes you have on the tank?

Two ocellaris clowns, a YWG, a purple firefish, and a red scooter blenny. The clowns are the only fish pair I have at the moment; the firefish did have a pair but one of them died quite a while ago.

 

[1Meshy]

I can tell they're not pods, but thats about all I can tell. I see they 'lined up in formation' like my bangaii babies used to do, but cardinals are more well developed by the time you see them in open water.

Have you ever seen what clownfish fry look like?

 

[1Meshy]

Update: upon closer inspection they kind of look like baby shrimp?

The only shrimp I have in the tank are a pistol and cleaner shrimp, but the cleaner died about a week ago. Any ideas??

 

[1Meshy]

Anyone else?

 

[NoohpyT]

my money is on clownfish fry

 

[Mikes money pit]

Clown fish fry I Raise clownfish not by choice every 14 days laying eggs now I have thousands of nemos

 

[Mikedawg]

If they are clownfish you probably would have noticed parents guarding/cleaning them for several days before they free swim

 

[Ruben's Reef]

Two ocellaris clowns, a YWG, a purple firefish, and a red scooter blenny. The clowns are the only fish pair I have at the moment; the firefish did have a pair but one of them died quite a while ago.

I have two pairs of clowns and one pair lay eggs on the corner of the tank but I have 17 fishes and by the time the eggs hatch theyre all gone as a snack for everyone including probably the snails and other CUC.

 

[taricha]

list all crustaceans in the system, or take better magnification pics...
I once had unknown fry that turned out to be a perfect visual match for hermit crab fry.
I suspect you would've noticed more weird fish behavior before a fish fry hatch.

 

[1Meshy]

If they are clownfish you probably would have noticed parents guarding/cleaning them for several days before they free swim

I mean.. How different would their behavior have been? Would it have been that obvious that they had babies? Sorry if it's an obvious question, I'm just not too knowledgeable with fish breeding lol

 

[1Meshy]

list all crustaceans in the system, or take better magnification pics...
I once had unknown fry that turned out to be a perfect visual match for hermit crab fry.
I suspect you would've noticed more weird fish behavior before a fish fry hatch.

I have a mixture of blue and red hermit crabs, and a pistol shrimp. I had a cleaner shrimp but it died last week :[.

I mean in all honesty it's possible I may have not noticed the clown's behavior since I don't know what their breeding behavior is like ? I did kinda notice they tended to keep going to the back of the tank often but that's about it.

I'll also try to take better pics with a magnifying glass or something..

 

[Mikedawg]

I mean.. How different would their behavior have been? Would it have been that obvious that they had babies? Sorry if it's an obvious question, I'm just not too knowledgeable with fish breeding lol

Either one or both would be constantly hovering over eggs placed on a rock, most probably in a secluded place. This would usually last for several days and any other fish would be chased away. Some good, descriptive YouTube videos available.

 

[1Meshy]

I have two pairs of clowns and one pair lay eggs on the corner of the tank but I have 17 fishes and by the time the eggs hatch theyre all gone as a snack for everyone including probably the snails and other CUC.

Aww poor babies. How often do they lay eggs?

 

[Mikedawg]

Aww poor babies. How often do they lay eggs?

Depending on age, health, feeding, etc. every 3-4 weeks ime.

 

[1Meshy]

Either one or both would be constantly hovering over eggs placed on a rock, most probably in a secluded place. This would usually last for several days and any other fish would be chased away. Some good, descriptive YouTube videos available.

Well there was this rock in the back of the tank they kinda kept going back to, but I just assumed that was their little hidey hole.. Maybe it could've had eggs and I didn't see them?

I'll try to post better pictures with a magnifying glass. Would be nice to figure out what they are so I know what to do with them