Apogon leptacanthus - Breeding Log

[mwp]

12-5-06 - I just noticed another spawning...not sure when it happened though. I *may* try to rear another batch now that I've had success getting the GBG's through settlement and metamorphasis...I may use the "modified" technique I tried on the GBG's with the letpacanthus to see if it improves things...

FWIW,

Matt

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

Matt,

found something which might be of interest for you:

http://www.meerwasserlarven.de/fische/apogon_leptacanthus.htm

 

[aomont]

Matt Pedersen = mwp

Anderson.

 

[Kmiec123]

Guess he seen it...

 

[Peter Schmiedel]

LOL - stupid me .... did not know

 

[mwp]

Seen it, I contributed it The duplicate photos didn't tip you off?!

Thanks for posting that link here anyways...doesn't hurt for people to see a recap!

Matt

 

[mwp]

So I was lax in noting that sometime before Christmas we had another spawn, and sometime while away for Christmas the larvae were released. They're starting to court again, could spawn in the next day or two...I'd like to give 'em another shot, but kinda want to do the mandarins again, or get ANOTHER batch of percs going (since I think we accidentally did some harm to batch VI by not feeding them more than once per day while we were out of town). Anyway, the leptacanthus are still breeding, and that's pretty much the news. I'm wanting to beat 45 days and get them to a saleable and solid size...to that end my efforts with the GBG's may help accomplish that goal.

Then there's the other half of me which is ready to just sell them off to someone who can dedicate a tank to breeding them (makes it much easier for larval collection etc). If anyone's interested, drop me a PM.

FWIW,

Matt

 

[RCS]

Wow...that was a long read.

First off, congrats...they're due regardless, as the progress you've made has been awesome!

A few thoughts, mostly from some observations of breeding freshwater fish, maybe they'll help, maybe they're completely irrelevant.

I would agree that it sounds like some antibiotics may be needed. I've witnessed "lockjaw" in some freshwater fish, though the reasons for it are varied as I don't recall ever seeing anything proven.

Have you considered maybe co-culturing the phyto in the tank with the larvae? I've seen it done with seahorses...maybe this would work with the cardinals?

One last suggestion. At the size you were getting (0.5cm+), do you think it would be beneficial to start using a seeded sponge filter in the tank? I'd assume they would be large and strong enough to not get sucked against the foam.

 

[mwp]

Well RCS, I think the main thing I'd change is just going to the straight 1L per day Greenwater Technique I used with the GBG's, along with a pre-setup tank that has had time to build up a good stock of my 3 copepods + pre-introduction of SS Rots, followed by a strain and clean water + phyto when the babies are due. That'd be my next plan...45 days, 1 CM+, basically the slow dieoffs at the end I think may have been related to less than perfect conditions towards the beginning...

FWIW,

Matt

 

[mwp]

1-4-07 - We have a spawn! - it either occured yesterday evening or this morning - our male is once again holding. It's a tossup - do I try for baby clownfish today and tomorrow, or do I keep the larval tank empty in anticipation of trying Apogon leptacanthus again?

Matt

 

[mwp]

1-11-07 - the lastest spawn was released overnight, as of 9:00 AM this morning the male was feeding again. So there we go, if the 1st night was the 4th, the larvae were released on the 7th night (the 10th). Seems pretty standard that 7th night is the release night, but as I mentioned, they may have actually been spawned on the 3rd, so this could have been their 8th night. Just keeping these notes when possible so I can go back through and determine the best time to try to collect babies on a future batch - I really, really want to get these done, and 45 day survival doesn't cut it.

Matt

 

[mwp]

1-17-07 - Another spawning occured sometime between last night (1-16) and this morning. *maybe* although not likely, I'll get to try this batch. More likely, maybe next batch (unless I go greedy and try to get the next batck of clownfish too!)

FWIW,

Matt

 

[mwp]

1-25-07 - this morning I noticed the male's mouthful was gon, so they were probably released on the night of the 24th.

FWIW,

Matt

 

[Western_reefer]

Any updates?

 

["Umm fish?"]

Sorry. Matt's still breeding fish but is no longer around here.

 

[blackthunda77]

Sorry to bring up an old thread but i have a question. I have 8 apgons and i was just curious as what the courtship behavior looked like? i see some interesting behavior between a couple of them but im not sure if its territorial behavior or courtship behavior.

 

[nauticac4]

Sorry. Matt's still breeding fish but is no longer around here.