Aquarium creates 'special love nest' for shy clownfish

By Nadine Kalinauskas | Good News – 

At Sea Life London Aquarium, aquarists have created a “special love nest” for a pair of shy clownfish.

While there’s been a recent breeding boom at the aquarium, the clownfish have yet to jump on the baby-making bandwagon.

“It could be several reasons,” aquarist Pete Williams says of their apparent “stage fright.”

“It could be disturbances from the other fish in the display. Just be the general passing of the public as well might discourage the animals from breeding. There’s several different factors, so this is sort of our last go.”

To encourage the female to lay eggs, the tank has been prepared to more closely replicate their natural habitat, with small rock lining its floor. A red velvet curtain provides privacy from visitors — and sets the mood.

All that’s missing is Marvin Gaye and some champagne.

“We have an excellent track record with our breeding programs here at the Sea Life London Aquarium but this pair of beautiful Pink Skunk clownfish have been proving a bit shy,” explains Williams.

“So far they haven’t mated, so we have designed what we hope will be the perfect setting to bring them together. We’re giving them total privacy away from other marine life — and with a specially fitted curtain — away from human eyes too. Hopefully with this custom-made environment in place, we can look forward to welcoming some clownfish babies in the not too distant future.”

Here’s a fun fact, according to the Sea Life website:

“In a group of clownfish inhabiting an anemone at any given time, the largest clownfish is always a female. The smaller fish are male. When the female dies, the largest male will change sex to take over the female’s role!”

Aquarium creates "special love nest" for shy clownfish