ichthyogeek
New member
As the title above says, I'm going to try breeding dottybacks and damselfish for a first breeding attempt. It won't be anytime soon, but I want to get as much information from as many people as possible.
For the dottybacks: I already have one in my display tank (which will also serve as the broodstock tank for lack of room). I'm going to assume that it is a male due to how long I've had him, and how big he is right now (about 3 inches+). How small is a juvenile (sex undetermined/still able to change sex)? The juvenile will immediately go into an egg crate cage (9"X4"X4"). I will use PVC elbows to serve as caves (leftover 3/4" from when I built the overflow and return to the sump), and also add Chaetomorpha. The cage will be at the top of the tank for monitoring. Feeding will be unshelled frozen shrimp (leftover bait), and frozen squid, with mysis shrimp. How long will I need to keep the juvenile in the cage before it becomes a female? Once the juvenile phases into a female, will I be able to let it stay in the DT?
For the YTD's: I plan on buying a trio, and returning the odd one out after a pair forms. Theoretically, the chances that I'll have at least one male and female is relatively high, correct? The diet will consist of freeze dried cyclopeeze and Omega One Mini marine pellets, as well as mysis shrimp, and whatever fragments that the other fish don't eat.
Along with the fish already listed above, I also have a valentini puffer that is staying. The tank also has a medium growth of red Gracilaria attached to the live rock, and also some Chaetomorpha. There is a Kenya tree, a Xenia polyp, an Acan frag, and a Green star polyp. Due to my heading to college next fall, I will probably not be able to start breeding until the summer after my freshman year. In that time, I hope to have the fish bond, and attempt to lay eggs. By adding two different species of fish, I hope that two things will happen. 1) Each species will function as a dither fish for the other fish, thus preventing bond breakage, and egg protection. 2) Any uncollected spawns will be eaten by the other pair, so that energy doesn't go to waste. Which pair should I attempt to establish first, the YTD's or the dottybacks?
To all breeders, whether you be a clownfish breeder, or a tang spawner, please give any advice you can give. I've already read Wittenrich's book, and have concluded that I would like to feed a copepod dominated diet to the larva (based off of seahorse fry deriving more nutrition from copepods than rotifers or artemia nauplii). Techniques, egg/larva collection devices, or anything that you might consider useful, I would greatly appreciate anything!
For the dottybacks: I already have one in my display tank (which will also serve as the broodstock tank for lack of room). I'm going to assume that it is a male due to how long I've had him, and how big he is right now (about 3 inches+). How small is a juvenile (sex undetermined/still able to change sex)? The juvenile will immediately go into an egg crate cage (9"X4"X4"). I will use PVC elbows to serve as caves (leftover 3/4" from when I built the overflow and return to the sump), and also add Chaetomorpha. The cage will be at the top of the tank for monitoring. Feeding will be unshelled frozen shrimp (leftover bait), and frozen squid, with mysis shrimp. How long will I need to keep the juvenile in the cage before it becomes a female? Once the juvenile phases into a female, will I be able to let it stay in the DT?
For the YTD's: I plan on buying a trio, and returning the odd one out after a pair forms. Theoretically, the chances that I'll have at least one male and female is relatively high, correct? The diet will consist of freeze dried cyclopeeze and Omega One Mini marine pellets, as well as mysis shrimp, and whatever fragments that the other fish don't eat.
Along with the fish already listed above, I also have a valentini puffer that is staying. The tank also has a medium growth of red Gracilaria attached to the live rock, and also some Chaetomorpha. There is a Kenya tree, a Xenia polyp, an Acan frag, and a Green star polyp. Due to my heading to college next fall, I will probably not be able to start breeding until the summer after my freshman year. In that time, I hope to have the fish bond, and attempt to lay eggs. By adding two different species of fish, I hope that two things will happen. 1) Each species will function as a dither fish for the other fish, thus preventing bond breakage, and egg protection. 2) Any uncollected spawns will be eaten by the other pair, so that energy doesn't go to waste. Which pair should I attempt to establish first, the YTD's or the dottybacks?
To all breeders, whether you be a clownfish breeder, or a tang spawner, please give any advice you can give. I've already read Wittenrich's book, and have concluded that I would like to feed a copepod dominated diet to the larva (based off of seahorse fry deriving more nutrition from copepods than rotifers or artemia nauplii). Techniques, egg/larva collection devices, or anything that you might consider useful, I would greatly appreciate anything!
