Attempting to breed clownfish - log

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11648158#post11648158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sandman5sanders
thank you for sharing your experience. I've recently put some effort into breeding Ocellaris Clowns in my 29Gal., but my French Angle disturbs them I think but it's a nice little set up, I made a little cove/cave with a piece of 1/2 inch flat live rock, they seem to have become teritorial of it but no eggs again I think the french angle has a lot to do with it. After reading your post (again thanks) I may not be even close to being prepared. I have other tanks (4 10Gal., 1 75Gal. and can probably get my hands on more if needed) for the rearing process but the feeding process appears to be more complex than anticipated, copuld you possibly give me a little better explanation of rotifers? Are they the first step in the feeding process? Again thanks and hey good luck this week I will be following your progress, hoping to make my first batch when and if it happens a little more sucessfull

I am new at this so i'm certainly no expert.

I will recommend one thing. If you don't have it get this book. It is really good and explains everything.

http://www.amazon.com/Clownfishes-J...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200921418&sr=8-1

I have read it like three times in three weeks.

Good luck with the spawn.

FB

 

[sandman5sanders]

thanks for the info on the book I have one already (clownfishes and sea anemone's bye John Tullock) I googled rotifers and quite a few sites where available and of course they made culturing the microrganism easy, my lfs doesn't carry live cultures so I'll have to order them but I think since I also have corals I'll get started practicing very impressed with the microscope picture, how long till your new batch hatch?

 

[FB]

They should hatch friday night. I have been splitting rotifer cultures several times and now have 4 on the go. I am going to be ready this time. The new one is a 10 gallon tank. Currently 1/4 full but I plan to keep adding water until it is a full 10 gallons.

I checked the water after the last batched died and there were rotifers in the tank. Not nearly enough, but I am also going blame part of it on not enough light, so I will be adding more light this time. Most were swimming at the top of the tank.

 

[sandman5sanders]

I've been doing some research on the rotifer and I read rotifers didn't require much light, I'm saying what I read was correct and up until 2 days ago rotifers were of no use to my operation heres the websites I've been getting my info from, reed-mariculture.com/rotifer/small.asp I found the other website to be quite helpful also, more intuitive, microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?... also I went bye my lfs to pick up a mushroom this afternoon and was talking to one of the guys who work their and he was saying you can feed the rotifers and the hatchling cualerpa not the powder mix kind regular live cualerpa again what do I know, but if feeding is the problem maybe adding some to your regular mix will hold them till you get home from work???? good luck friday and if you can post some pictures

 

[sandman5sanders]

I'm sorry it was suppose to read. I'm "NOT" what I read was correct. I must of gotten ahead of myself when typing, good luck and remember if I knew what I was talking about I would not be asking so many ???????

 

[sandman5sanders]

I'm sorry it was suppose to read. I'm "NOT" saying what I read was correct. I must of gotten ahead of myself when typing, good luck and remember if I knew what I was talking about I would not be asking so many ???????

 

[FB]

Well it looks like this batch may be over before they began. I did the transfer last night and for whatever reason the bubbles stopped going over the eggs and they are mostly white. I have about 10 that may hatch tonight. We will see how it goes.

FB

 

[FB]

Well after leaving the tank for a couple of days thinking that all the eggs were dead. I have about 5 larvae swimming around. They appear to be eating but can't tell for sure.

I was going to feed them but decided first to check the salinity of the tank. It was up around 1.034. I had pretty much given up on the batch so I had just been peeking my head in to see if anything had hatched. Nothing ever show up until late last night. A couple of days later than expected. I am now slow dripping RO/DI water into the tank to bring it down to 1.021. When this is complete I can transfer some rotifers without them getting shocked. The larvae seem to be handling the drop very well.

FB

 

[sandman5sanders]

what are the suvivors eating? yoke sack? wow that salinity was high i'm surprised (as I'm sure you are ) they survived. Well maybe with a little prayer and a lot of luck you can still pull it off, good luck, we'll keep our fingers crossed.

 

[FB]

When I transfer the eggs I also put in some rotifers and phyto in the tank. This way the rotifers can multiply for 24 - 48 hours depending on when the eggs hatch. So the tank had rotifers in it. So this is what they were eating. I was going to add more rotifers but figured I had better check the salinity because it was 1.025 when I transfered the eggs.

The tank is now at 1.021 and everybody handled the drop well. I have feed two more feeds of rotifers and this time it actually appears as though they are eating. They now have very silver bulging bellies. They don't just taper from head to tail like the last batch. The fact that there is only 6 or so in the tank i'm sure I won't need as many rotifers. There are also some pretty large brine shrimp swimming around as well. Today I put a much brighter light over the tank and they don't seem to mind it. This may be another reason why these one's are eating better.

Lets keep our fingers crossed.

FB

 

[Abominable Reef]

This is good news:thumbsup: Sometimes its amazing how delicate they are, and then how they can withstand that salt level. Go figure. Anyway, good to see you having some success.

 

[FB]

Well this small group seems to be doing very well. The last batch were definaltly not eating when compared to this batch. The silver bellies are very obvoious as well as the size of the abdomon. We are now at about 38 hours and tonight will sure be the test.

FB

 

[Hendersonracing]

KEEP US UPDATED....Im working on setting up my rotifer tank!

 

[sandman5sanders]

I don't want to jinx you so i'll wait a couple of days when you can be sure your pretty much out of the woods with the salinity bounce but fingers are still crossed hopes are high and self anticipation is growing need I even mention excitment it's driving me crazy. I know they've bonded just getting them to do as I tell them, for some reason they just don't listen. my two don't seem to be as frisky as I would like, I may have to take all my other fish out so they're only focus is each other, they were teritorial for awhile but lately i don't know. good luck these next couple of days after that, and after that correct me if I'm wrong but food, clean water and a few customers will be all you need.

 

[kerusso316]

Set your brine on the 30th so on the next day you can feed.Do not over feed and no shells.Hatch bbs every day for 10 days.Harvest in the morning & start your new bbs for tomorrow.Keep em fresh in the fridg. all day and feed a little every few hours.More just befor bedtime.

 

[kerusso316]

FB .....update your Current Tanks and Interests.Letme see wha chew workin wit.{James Brown}

 

[FB]

We are at about 56 hours now and they all appear to be doing well this morning. I fed some more rotifers this morning and when I turned the light on they appeared to be actively hunting for food.

This is about the time the last batch all died. So if they are alive when I get home I will be very happy.

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11721158#post11721158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kerusso316
Set your brine on the 30th so on the next day you can feed.Do not over feed and no shells.Hatch bbs every day for 10 days.Harvest in the morning & start your new bbs for tomorrow.Keep em fresh in the fridg. all day and feed a little every few hours.More just befor bedtime.

I will do this when I get home tonight.

I am at work for almost 9 hours. What happens if they don't eat between 9:00 and 6:00.

Thanks

FB

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11721843#post11721843 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FB
What happens if they don't eat between 9:00 and 6:00.

Make sure there are enough rot's and nauplii to maintain good density till you get home. This is also were greenwater rearing techniques really come in handy to keep the food nutritious

 

[FB]

Well I got home an everything is looking very good. We are at hour 67 now. Larvae have very silver bellies. I scooped out some more rotifers and put them in the tank.

I also took some rotifers to begin my second 10 gallon culture. I am hoping that should be more than enough. I will probably pull 25% on alternating days, this way I will have a backup as well.

Still no new eggs in the breeding tank however the female is VERY large. Will probably happen tomorrow afternoon if they stay consistent with every 12 days. I have been feeding her like a pig to ensure healthy eggs.

Do you guys ever buy more rotifers as say a recharge or anything like that. Would that be usefull or pointless.

Hopefully my microscope will arrive in the next couple of days and I can take a look at how they are doing.

FB