Clown breeding - what have I done right?

[jjencek]

I wanted to breed clowns. I have prepared everything for them except I was not able to get live rotifers in Central Europe due to the coronavirus.

8 days ago about 200 frys were born. I knew according to the experts that without rotifers I could not raise them. I figured I would try everything I had at home. For some reason about 30 of them are still alive and doing well. It has been only 8 days and I understand that they might not survive metamorphosis.

Here is what I have been putting into the tank for the last week:

1. frozen rotifers
2. live brine shrimp fortified with phytoplankton concentrate
3. TDO chroma boost
4. ROTI-green Omega concentrate

Why are they still alive?
Which of the above has done the trick?
Will they survive to adulthood?

 

[Four drachma]

I can only assume the frozen Rotifers are keeping them alive.

I tried raising some a few weeks ago, and they all died, and I had live Rotifers for them.

My adult clowns laid more eggs last Friday and I expect them to hatch tonight, so I'll be trying it again.

I will say I thought I had a lot of live baby clownfish for the last few days of the process, and it turned out to be some adult rotifers swimming around. They resembled fish until they got big enough to see the feathery fins on their sides. They resembled adult brine shrimp.

Not saying that's the case for you, but might check to be sure..[emoji2373]

From what I've read, the baby clowns can't eat brine shrimp or TDO, until the 10 to 15 day mark.

I'll attach a pic of what I thought were baby fish...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jjencek]

From what I've read, the baby clowns can't eat brine shrimp or TDO, until the 10 to 15 day mark.

I'll attach a pic of what I thought were baby fish...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

According to the TDO manufacturer they can start eating it on day 2-3.

Your picture does not look like small fish, but brine shrimp.

 

[jjencek]

Here is an update on my clownfish without rotifers:

They are on day 16 - all after meta - most of the 30 are still alive and already showing color and two stripes.

Still have no idea why they did fine without rotifers, but who is complaining.

 

[ThRoewer]

My little bicinctus on their first day:

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Right now I feed them Brachonius and Apocyclops until the brine shrimp I started today hatch. And once the larvae are large enough I got Tigriopus for them...

In the past, I bred clownfish entirely without rotifers. All I fed were brine shrimp (first 4-5 days) and then frozen Cyclops. That got actually the best results.

I haven't tried TDO yet but it is definitely on my list once I have a proper larvae tank.