First attempt with Clownfish Eggs

[Darth Vedder]

I have a quick question for the experienced clown breeders. My clowns lay their eggs on an easily removeable Rock. Is it best to move the rock to the hatchery on hatch day or is it better to try to catch the fry once they hatch in the display tank?

I was thinking I would have more success moving the rock as it is in a 120 with other fish, but thought I would ask what is the preferred method

Thanks

 

[saltyjo]

Darth, I would move the rock!!! From what I have experienced so far, I think catching them is rough on them. Even as gentle as you can be, I think the process of transfering them once they are hatched from a catching container, to the fry tank may be too rough and it may have been the cause of a lot of my losses.

 

[Darth Vedder]

Thanks, that was the direction I was thinking of going, espially since they (thankfully) laid on the one easily removable rock in the structure

 

[Sport507]

I have a quick question for the experienced clown breeders. My clowns lay their eggs on an easily removeable Rock. Is it best to move the rock to the hatchery on hatch day or is it better to try to catch the fry once they hatch in the display tank?

I was thinking I would have more success moving the rock as it is in a 120 with other fish, but thought I would ask what is the preferred method

Thanks

Yes, moving the rock is the way to go but make sure it’s on hatch day.

What I do is have the hatchery take clean and ready to go. Then about 6 in the evening I pull water from the DT put it in the hatchery get the heat stabilized at the same temp as the DT. Then about 8 o’clock I pull the eggs out keeping them under water at all times. Set up proper air flow around the eggs then lights out and throw a dark towel over the tank. You should start seeing them hatch after about 30 minutes and it should take about 2-1/2 to3 hours for the full hatch and not all may hatch. At that point I don’t wait on that last few to hatch because they my not hatch until the next night and I don’t hold up the whole group for the last few. Pull the rock and put back in the same spot you took it from.

 

[Darth Vedder]

Thanks sport

I painted my hatchery tank yesterday and am going to set it up with RO water to get the heater dialed in close and then drain it and be ready

They laid last Friday, so would that put hatch night probably this Friday after lights out? That would be the 8th day, or should I wait until Saturday. I don't want to miss the hatch but also would hate to pull the rock any earlier than needed

 

[Sport507]

Thanks sport

I painted my hatchery tank yesterday and am going to set it up with RO water to get the heater dialed in close and then drain it and be ready

They laid last Friday, so would that put hatch night probably this Friday after lights out? That would be the 8th day, or should I wait until Saturday. I don't want to miss the hatch but also would hate to pull the rock any earlier than needed

You are welcome but Friday to Friday is only 7 days Saturday would be day 8. Mine alway hatch on day 8 but I don't know about your pair and water temp can make a difference. I keep all my tanks at 80F.

 

[Darth Vedder]

I wasn't sure if the day the eggs were laid counted as a day, I initially expected Saturday to be the night. I will have to examine the eggs Friday and make the call if they look really silver I will pull, if not I will wait until Saturday might but watch the tank for fry after lights out in the main tank.

Thanks again

 

[Sport507]

I wasn't sure if the day the eggs were laid counted as a day, I initially expected Saturday to be the night. I will have to examine the eggs Friday and make the call if they look really silver I will pull, if not I will wait until Saturday might but watch the tank for fry after lights out in the main tank.

Thanks again

You don't count the day they spawn as day because 24 hours hasn't past.

If you spawn on Friday Saturday is day 1 and if you count forward 8 day you will be back on Saturday.

 

[Darth Vedder]

Ok that is what I initially thought then i started overthinking it

Now the long wait until Saturday begins

 

[Sport507]

Ok that is what I initially thought then i started overthinking it

Now the long wait until Saturday begins

LOL

It's easy to do that and believe it or not, Spawn 5 the clowns I have in my thread. I got confused and pulled them a day early. When they didn't hatch that night I had play Dad & Mom for the next 24 hours. I set up a very small power head and simulated the flow of the parents over the eggs. I've never posted this video before.

 

[Darth Vedder]

Thanks for the video post, I had planned to use an airstone if I pulled them a day early but the powerhead looks like it gets better movement without all the bubbles wacking the eggs around

 

[Sport507]

Thanks for the video post, I had planned to use an airstone if I pulled them a day early but the powerhead looks like it gets better movement without all the bubbles wacking the eggs around

The air may work but I had the power head and thought I'll give that a try. Thus Spawn 5 another attempt.

 

[Darth Vedder]

Do you need to turn off the flow that is keeping the eggs aireated when lights go out on hatch night or do you keep it in the eggs as they hatch,?

 

[Darth Vedder]

Well I was afraid I jumped the gun and moved the rock a night early but I guess not, fry are hatching as I type this,

I guess I never realized how small they were from pictures, but wow

 

[Darth Vedder]

Took a quick video. It's not great quality as I didn't want to disrupt the eggs still hatching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdEqDh-_JGs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

These are my 15 minute old babies

 

[Darth Vedder]

Double post

 

[saltyjo]

Congratulations! Now the fun begins, how many do you have this morning?
When I fed my tank this morning I noticed the male missing from the chow line. He is busy guarding a new clutch of eggs they must have laid yesterday evening.
Keep us posted on your new fry and best of luck to ya.

 

[Sport507]

Took a quick video. It's not great quality as I didn't want to disrupt the eggs still hatching

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdEqDh-_JGs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

These are my 15 minute old babies

Congrats......If you chose to use a power head take it out and run air stone/stones. I forgot to tell you that when I used the power head to keep them over night I took it out on hatch night and only use air stone. I'm guessing you already figured that out though.

Yes, they are amazingly tiny just make sure you load the hatchery with rotifers and tint the water with phyto.

 

[Darth Vedder]

Yeah, the hatchery is loaded with Rotifers and phyto, looks like only about 10 percent of the eggs hatched but the rest are very silver so I'm hoping they will hatch tonight. If not I will just pull them out and work on the 30 or so I have

 

[Sport507]

Yeah, the hatchery is loaded with Rotifers and phyto, looks like only about 10 percent of the eggs hatched but the rest are very silver so I'm hoping they will hatch tonight. If not I will just pull them out and work on the 30 or so I have

Then you did pull them a day early. You know what they say about hind sight, but if you would have left the light on all night that 10% would have waited.

Keep a good flow around the eggs or they will fungus up and die. You only have a few more hours and I would go lights out at 8 this evening. The rest will hatch tonight.