hiflykitty
New member
about how many fry do you have? how long will it take for them to grow out? how long before they're big enough to eat flake or frozen food? just curious... Great Job!
Can you find the stripe?
- Thread starter LotR Clown
- Start date
LotR Clown
Active member
Sarah,
I've been feeding crushed flake and dry foods since Day8. Most have learned to take it, but they don't go for it with as much gusto as they do bbs. I hope to have them all completely weened off bbs by day 21 if I make it that far. The problem with feeding dry foods is that water quality deteriorates as soon as you add it. You have to clean more often with dry foods.
Percula take longer to grow out compared to ocellaris and clarkii. I would say between 6-9months to be around an inch or more. I would assume that it all depends on grow-out conditions.
Oh I have between 30-40 atm. I haven't really tried to count. Maybe a little more, definitely not any less.
Kevin
I've been feeding crushed flake and dry foods since Day8. Most have learned to take it, but they don't go for it with as much gusto as they do bbs. I hope to have them all completely weened off bbs by day 21 if I make it that far. The problem with feeding dry foods is that water quality deteriorates as soon as you add it. You have to clean more often with dry foods.
Percula take longer to grow out compared to ocellaris and clarkii. I would say between 6-9months to be around an inch or more. I would assume that it all depends on grow-out conditions.
Oh I have between 30-40 atm. I haven't really tried to count. Maybe a little more, definitely not any less.
Kevin
cek1313
Member
Kevin,
Its been a few years since I raised clowns but I thought I might ask--how do you setup your grow-out tanks? I used to use 20L with a foam covered air input, daily 10% Water changes. Started with Rotifers then crushed flake and baby brine. Usually managed to raise anywhere from 30-50 to sub-adults (1/2 inch or so). I have only tried Maroons and Ocellaris. Have you had any luck with others? Thanks for your time.
Eric
Its been a few years since I raised clowns but I thought I might ask--how do you setup your grow-out tanks? I used to use 20L with a foam covered air input, daily 10% Water changes. Started with Rotifers then crushed flake and baby brine. Usually managed to raise anywhere from 30-50 to sub-adults (1/2 inch or so). I have only tried Maroons and Ocellaris. Have you had any luck with others? Thanks for your time.
Eric
LotR Clown
Active member
Eric,
This is my first attempt at raising any type of clownfish. I've been following Wilkerson pretty closely. I'm sure that is what you did with your previous experience.
I'm thinking of using 10's for growout due to space limitations. I'm not too sure about how I eventually will set them up, but it will be similar to common sump style setups you see at the latest LFS. I'm only trying this since my percs decided to breed. Got a couple of other pairs brewing. GSM too, maybe your future success with them will be helpful when mine decide to lay. I'm hoping to get my success rate above the 70% of this last batch. I think parental nutrition plays an extremely important role in clutch success rate to metamorphosis.
Kevin
This is my first attempt at raising any type of clownfish. I've been following Wilkerson pretty closely. I'm sure that is what you did with your previous experience.
I'm thinking of using 10's for growout due to space limitations. I'm not too sure about how I eventually will set them up, but it will be similar to common sump style setups you see at the latest LFS. I'm only trying this since my percs decided to breed. Got a couple of other pairs brewing. GSM too, maybe your future success with them will be helpful when mine decide to lay. I'm hoping to get my success rate above the 70% of this last batch. I think parental nutrition plays an extremely important role in clutch success rate to metamorphosis.
Kevin
cek1313
Member
You are definitely correct in the parental nutrition part. The first clutch I ever raised, faired rather poorly (only two survivors) and the eggs were rather pinkish in the late stages instead of the preferable darker orange, indicating to me that they lacked nutrition. I started soaking the parents food in Selcon every other day and saw dramatic results. The mortality rate decreased dramtically (at least compared to initial results). I have 5 pairs right now (Ocellaris, Onyx, Akindynos, Tomato and Maroon) that I am just waiting to lay eggs. Wilkerson is unvaluable for sure when it comes to this process. I have never used a common sump setup althought I suppose it would be easier. I simply would add a 10-20 Gallon hang on th back filter to the parents tank and after fry were actually starting to produce enough ammonia, I would simply move it to a 20L and raise them all inside. This way the biological filter is somewhat already cycled. Please keep me updated as I will you and maybe one day we combined with everyone else can raise enough fry to satiate all the nemo lovers out there. Thanks.
LotR Clown
Active member
Update for peops following
Update for peops following
Eric,
Would love to see the akindynos. Got any pics? Well at this point you've gotten much further than I have. These guys are still 1/4" so I've got a long way to go.
I feed the pair heavily between hatches and it's been good so far. They are in a reef tank, so I have to really kind of limit how many nutrients going in.
Here are a few pics of one of the balls they like to stay in.
Topdown:
A closer view:
Kevin
Update for peops following
Eric,
Would love to see the akindynos. Got any pics? Well at this point you've gotten much further than I have. These guys are still 1/4" so I've got a long way to go.
I feed the pair heavily between hatches and it's been good so far. They are in a reef tank, so I have to really kind of limit how many nutrients going in.
Here are a few pics of one of the balls they like to stay in.
Topdown:
A closer view:
Kevin
hiflykitty
New member
thats photo of the month material 
NewBeReef627
New member
That is so awesome!!!!!.
Lori
Lori
hiflykitty
New member
how are the baby clowns doing? any new pics for us?
LotR Clown
Active member
Sarah,
They look the same right now just slightly bigger. They are completely on dry foods, so the transition went pretty well. We've been real busy with baby shower, baby stuff, etc.
I'll try to get more pics sometime. Definitely look for more pics when they start to get the second stripe.
Kevin
They look the same right now just slightly bigger. They are completely on dry foods, so the transition went pretty well. We've been real busy with baby shower, baby stuff, etc.
I'll try to get more pics sometime. Definitely look for more pics when they start to get the second stripe.
Kevin
LotR Clown
Active member
Eric,
As much as I would like to keep a lot of them, I wouldn't have the room. I will be trying to provide them for people who would normally try to obtain A.percula unsuccessfully by purchasing wild caught animals. I'm pretty sure the ones that make it to 1" will be stronger than WC specimens. I'll put you on the list.
As for growth, one of the larger ones is showing a second stripe. It's probably the one that showed the headstripe first.
That's another milestone to get to. It will be neat to see a lot of them with a second stripe. I hear the third can take up to a year, so I doubt I will see many of them get that third stripe.
When most of them have a second stripe, I will try to get some good pics.
26days atm
Kevin
As much as I would like to keep a lot of them, I wouldn't have the room. I will be trying to provide them for people who would normally try to obtain A.percula unsuccessfully by purchasing wild caught animals. I'm pretty sure the ones that make it to 1" will be stronger than WC specimens. I'll put you on the list.
As for growth, one of the larger ones is showing a second stripe. It's probably the one that showed the headstripe first.
That's another milestone to get to. It will be neat to see a lot of them with a second stripe. I hear the third can take up to a year, so I doubt I will see many of them get that third stripe.
When most of them have a second stripe, I will try to get some good pics.
26days atm
Kevin
hiflykitty
New member
I want on the list! i want two when they're big enough to sell.
Lazyreefer
Premium Member
How are the babies?
LotR Clown
Active member
Doug,
They are doing fine. Not much to report besides they are growing slowly. Percs take a little longer to grow out, so I'm sure updates are going to be somewhat sporadic. I'll post new pics as things develop.
Kevin
They are doing fine. Not much to report besides they are growing slowly. Percs take a little longer to grow out, so I'm sure updates are going to be somewhat sporadic. I'll post new pics as things develop.
Kevin
captbunzo
Premium Member
Kevin -
I am interested in knowing more about the procedure you have used to raise these clownfish babies. I know that you collected them using Chris's larval capture device. However, how have you nutured them since then.....
1. What sort of tank, filtration, etc, are you using for the babies.
2. How are you keeping water quality healthy - frequent water changes or a good nitrogen cycle established in the tank?
3. What sort of food are you feeding?
Anything else that someone might need to know to raise some up? I have 2 pairs of clown - one pair at home & one pair in my office tank. If/When they lay some eggs, I would love to try and raise them up.
Thank you for your time and efforts on this project. And if you can point me to all this information published elsewhere on the web that you followed, that's great too.
I am interested in knowing more about the procedure you have used to raise these clownfish babies. I know that you collected them using Chris's larval capture device. However, how have you nutured them since then.....
1. What sort of tank, filtration, etc, are you using for the babies.
2. How are you keeping water quality healthy - frequent water changes or a good nitrogen cycle established in the tank?
3. What sort of food are you feeding?
Anything else that someone might need to know to raise some up? I have 2 pairs of clown - one pair at home & one pair in my office tank. If/When they lay some eggs, I would love to try and raise them up.
Thank you for your time and efforts on this project. And if you can point me to all this information published elsewhere on the web that you followed, that's great too.
LotR Clown
Active member
Paul,
I have been following what Joyce Wilkerson has lined out in her book.
The club has 2 copies I believe. All the water changing and feeding regimen is laid out there completely. I don't think there is anything special that I am doing. Once they get through meta, they seem to be pretty hardy. I hope not to jinx myself with that statement because growout just might be the most difficult part for A.percula. A.clarki the meta is more difficult I believe.
Anyhow everything you will ever need is in her book. If you are serious about giving it a try, that book is a must read.
Kevin
I have been following what Joyce Wilkerson has lined out in her book.
The club has 2 copies I believe. All the water changing and feeding regimen is laid out there completely. I don't think there is anything special that I am doing. Once they get through meta, they seem to be pretty hardy. I hope not to jinx myself with that statement because growout just might be the most difficult part for A.percula. A.clarki the meta is more difficult I believe.
Anyhow everything you will ever need is in her book. If you are serious about giving it a try, that book is a must read.
Kevin
cek1313
Member
I purchased Joyce Wilkerson's book about 8 years ago and after probably reading it through 3 times over, my clowns (2 Ocellaris at the time) decided to lay eggs--I guess they figured I knew what I was doing finally! I followed it to the 'T' so to speak and overall it worked out perfect. The only "problem" was once they did grow out (about 1 year), housing 50+ 1 inch clowns was an ordeal. I would transfer most from the 20L to a 55 Gallon with Live rock and lots of circulation (powerheads, tetera 500 with no media in it etc..) Metapmorphisis is a matter of nurtrition (at least I have have found). If you have the time, feed them as much as they will eat all day every day and do 25% WC.
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