Breeding clowns

[Darth Wader]

Ok so my 2 true percs have been laying eggs a fair bit lately and I’ve been thinking about trying to grow the baby clowns. Ok so here is some background info. My clowns are in my reef tank and they have been laying the eggs on the front glass. I have an 10 gallon tank just sitting around that I could put the young larvae in. So the main question I have is getting the newly hatched eggs out of the reef tank and into the larvae tank. I have read that when the eggs hatch (after your light go out on the 8th or so day) that you can shine a flashlight into the tank and they will go to the light and then scoop them out with like a ladle or siphon them out. I’m just wondering what’s the easiest/most recommended way to get them out of the reef tank and into their larvae tank?
Any suggestions or helpful hints would be great.

 

[mbbuna]

we use a coffee cup and submerge it half way under the water and then shine a flashlight into the cup. when a bunch get in the cup you lift it out. you could also place a tile where the clowns have been laying the eggs and with some luck they might lay on the tile, then you just remove the tile an hour or so before you expect them to hatch.

 

[Darth Wader]

Yea I have read that about using tile and I might try it.
When you say half way under the water do you mean like half way down in the tank?

 

[mbbuna]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12499825#post12499825 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Darth Wader
Yea I have read that about using tile and I might try it.
When you say half way under the water do you mean like half way down in the tank?

no i mean i hold the cup so that half of the rim is under the water line and you take a dim flashlight and shine it in the cup only

 

[Darth Wader]

Oh ok I got it. Cool thanks allot for the info. Their last batch of eggs just hatched the other day so that gives me time to get everything ready before the next eggs come. I will let you know what happens.
Thanks again.

 

[mbbuna]

do you have your rotifer culture going yet?

 

[Darth Wader]

Not yet but my buddy at the LFS said he can help me out with that. Any tips or helpful hints on that subject?

 

[mbbuna]

all you need is a 5g bucket and an air stone. harvest 25% every day and feed them twice a day

 

[Darth Wader]

Awesome. Thanks for all the help.
Do you breed clowns regularly?

 

[mbbuna]

yes, we breed ocellaris and polymnus

if you dont already have this book i would get it http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890087041/reeflink

 

[Darth Wader]

Sweet, I will check out that book for sure. I think my cousin has an amazon account so I can get her to order it for me.
So good news, I came home from school tonight and they laid more eggs so hopefully I can get the rotifer culture growing good by the time they hatch. I'm so excited, I cant wait to see what happens.