Don't count 'em, but there are 1061!!

[Kathy55g]

Update:
Things are going remarkably well. I added a third airstone to the tank from the beginning, and it really seems to make a difference in their energy level. The previous batch did not swim as much, but hung on the sides or in the body of the water, barely moving. But that's another story.

This hatch started on Oto. A at day 5 or 6 just before a feeding of NHBS. By the seventh day I did not have to feed so much NHBS because they were stuffed with Otohime. By the eigth day, I fed a light meal of NHBS, and they have been off it ever since. They are eating Otohime A only, now. We are at day 11 with very few deaths the past few days and fat, energetic larvae. Almost all have headbands. I read that they are supposed to go to ground during metamorphosis, but mine are still majorly swimming. Needless to say, I am very pleased as this group is likely to be over 100 in number. This is it, my big batch!

Kathy

 

[David M]

Congrats Kathy, I am especially interested in how fast you got them off nhbs. I gotta get me some of that larval feed , which "size" are you using? And can you post the source as well?

Going back to where you tried for a second hatch off the tile, my tomatos always take two nights to fully hatch so I finally got in the habit of preparing TWO tanks. After the first night's hatch I move the tile to the second tank, this has saved a LOT of first night larvae

 

[Kathy55g]

David, you will have pm.

 

[Kathy55g]

Boy, am I dumb. I lost a dozen larvae/juveniles today to ammonia. Yesterday, no ammmonia, today lots! I put a seasoned sponge filter in the tank this morning, but it does not appear to have done a thing. I just dug up an email from Ed that said he put his larvae on the system at NHBS feeding time. I am 6 days past that.

They are on a trickle from the system now.

I am a little nervous about the overflow. I have bridal veil over gutter guard to screen out the little guys, and I have an airstone blasting bubbles under the overflow to discourage them from congregating around it, but I am still worried. I guess I'll see in the morning. I am glad most of them survived the day.

 

[Nagel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6844516#post6844516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kathy55g
Boy, am I dumb.

Nope.. I don't think so.. I think its a matter of a learning curve, an experimental stage and the fact that we're still pioneering a little here..

You seem to be doing very well, and I am also curious on the Oto. My first ocellaris clutch that has survived will be three weeks on wednesday, and boy am I tired of the BBS!

I also had another clutch laid this past saturday night (I light my tanks overnight), and that is a problem. I will be away for a wedding this weekend.. I'm moving the tile friday and hopeing for the best when I come back sunday.

I've also had my current batch on my main system since about day 3. I rigged up a series of sieves, and siphon from the main system with a u tube, and pump out of the larval tank with a 2l bottle / synthetic coffee filter (ala the Wilkerson Larval Snagger). It keeps nasties out of the larval tank, and keeps larvae in there. I know Joyce Wilkerson said she polluted a 125 reef with a 10g larval tank in a week, but I only have around 15- 20 little guys from the batch, and a 1200g main reef system.

Little by little we all refine our methods, but a good measure of success is more fish each batch. And so far, you seem to be doing great!

 

[David M]

Kathy, in my various attempts to devise the "perfect" larval tank I have had fairly good success with some divided ten gallon tanks I made up. Basically I siliconed in a tank divider creating two 10 X 10 sections. The divider is a rigid frame of 1" wide 1/4" acrylic (like a piture frame) with 55um screen stretched across it and glue in place. Larvae go in the front section and the rear section is plumbed to the system in some cases, some tanks are free standing. In the rear section I have a heater & p-head, and in the free standing tanks I add seasoned bio-balls from the system after after the first few days. There is only passive flow thru the screen, no larvae can get through and 99% of the rots stay put as well. I actually direct the p-head right at the screen to encourage water exchange between the two sections. So I have a choice, isolated larval tank or connected to the system. Or I can just open the feed line for an hour or two for a water change and then shut it off. Very versitile Normally I keep it isolated if I am adding IA because I don't want that in the main system, but as soon as I stop using it I put the tank "online".

 

[Kathy55g]

Your system sounds really interesting! Where did you get the 53 um mesh?

The key for me, I think, is to get them onto the system in a drip once they are off rotifers and phyto. You are doing the same thing, on a more versitile system.

I think I could dismiss the whole sponge filter thing, because I have not seen that it does much at all. And it could do something bad if it gets the wrong population of bacteria growing.

I may not be totally dumb, but I missed some obvious information in forgetting the email from Ed, and letting a dozen die from ammonia last week and then doing it again with the latest batch.

I have a system to avoid this kind of thing, but I did not think that I could put them on it this early. It is a learning curve. Thanks for your kind words, Nagel. Now I know. Just glad I was smart enough to test for ammonia. I did not loose too many, and still I have a lot left.

This is the most active and healthy looking batch I have ever had, and the largest in number. I am getting there.

It is a good thing clownfish are relatively hardy.

Cheers,
Kathy

 

[NicoleC]

Here's one source of Nitex is different mesh sizes:

http://www.wildco.com/vw_prdct_mdl.asp?prdct_mdl_cd=24

 

[David M]

I don't use Nitex, too expensive for a cheapo like me. I go to the local screen print supply, they have nylon mesh in any size you could care to use. I had posted the the mfg/product link here way back, will try to find it if I get a chance.