FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE,MOA,TAIWAN

Spinecheek anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus) belongs to the subfamily Amphiprioninae of family Pomacentridae. During 365 days of observations from January 01 to December 31, 2009, the clownfish ovulated 25 times and produced 800 ~ 3000 eggs each time. These adhesive demersal eggs were orange with ellipsoidal in shape, and were 1.81 ± 0.09 mm long and 0.79 ± 0.03 mm in diameter. The yolks were about 1.25 ± 0.09 mm long and contained several oil droplets were 0.16 ± 0.03 mm in diameters. It took 144 hours to hatch as sea water was controlled at 27.7 ± 0.8 °C and 32.5 ± 0.5 psu. The newly hatched larvae were 3.64 ± 0.31 mm in total length and phototactic. The phototaxis lessened as they grew. Larvae were fed with rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) from one to six days post-hatch (DPH). On seven DPH, copepod was supplemented and its amount was gradually increased until it totally replaced rotifers on 10 DPH. On 20 DPH, larvae were 8.24 ± 0.76 mm in total length and could be fed with pellet feed.