Fry Collection

[mred]

Have some jawfish and B/W clowns breeding in main tank.

Need some methods for collection of fry after hatch. I collect after lights out and hatch. Only able to get 20-30 out of the couple hundred hatching. Feel collection is creating some unnecessary mortality.

Working on rotifer culture methods too. So help there is welcome also.

Help.

 

[msman825]

if spawning reg, i'd try a small tank if wanting to try my hand at it. i asume there in a reef

 

[Zooid]

I use a flower pot for my clowns. I take the pot out of the tank on the night of the hatch and aerate the eggs in a 10 gallon tank. I let them hatch out then remove the pot and add rotifers and greenwater to the larval tank.
The jawfish you could use a larval snagger. There are different designs out there. Just do a search.
Good luck

 

[Mikep503]

The flower pot seems to work well for many people!
+1

 

[FMarini]

i assume both of thee fish are in your display tank?
If so, you might try and place ceramic tiles nearby where the clowns lay the eggs, alternatively my friends use 2 part epoxy shaped like a rock placed nearby or finally you can fill in their usual nesting site w/ epoxy, then once they lay eggs on it- remove the epoxy.Collect the eggs. If however you let the fry hatch and swim out- you might consider using a fry collector(search on mofib please)
As for the jawfish, if the males release the fry at dusk, you'll have to stop the main pumps, grab a plankton net, and hope for the best, remember their fry are only a few mm in size.
Your best solution should you want to attempt to raise for than a few is to place the broodstock into a breeding tank

 

[agsansoo]

This is the agsansoo larvae collector version 3.0

 

[phil519]

This is the agsansoo larvae collector version 3.0

wouldn't a siphon like that damage perc/osc clowns larva? I know the larva of other clowns are much bigger so perhaps they can withstand the trip?

But if you used it on percs...I would like to ask for instructions on that thing!

 

[agsansoo]

Glad you asked (or took the bait ..LOL)

1. This is lowered into the tank just below the slot in the far right side of the plastic container.
2. Using a magnet as a holder. This works better than suction cups.
3. Focus a moonlight (see photo below) pointing at the slot. This will draw the larvae into the slot.
4. Plug in small Rio-50 pump and place into the coffee strainer / glued 4" PVC adapter thingy.
5. turn off all DT return pumps, flow pumps and lights. Also turn off all room lights too !

One half hour after lights out, the clown larvae will start hatching and will be drawn to the light.

This is Version 2.0 with suction cups.

 

[FMarini]

as long as the suction is low speed- little to no damage to the fry.
Usually these larval snaggers, larval collectors, fry collectors, whatever... use a small lightbulb at the entry point of the siphon and some sort of filter to capture the fry w/o damage and access to the pump of outlet.
Again if you search on mofib you'll see a bunch of DIY larval snaggers, and a few commercially available ones as well

 

[agsansoo]

Good luck ...

 

[phil519]

freakin awesome. :bounce3:
and yes I took the bait!!!! lol!

 

[agsansoo]

Your welcome

 

[Zooid]

Is that a cut off inverted bleach/vinegar bottle glued onto a plastic coffee filter that the pump goes into?
Good idea.

 

[phil519]

Is that a cut off inverted bleach/vinegar bottle glued onto a plastic coffee filter that the pump goes into?
Good idea.

nope - andy calls it a " glued 4" PVC adapter thingy" :lolspin:

 

[agsansoo]

It a 4" PVC adapter. You can find it at any Home Depot / hardware stores. Just silicone it to a plastic coffee filter.

Goolge "Tops Manufacturing Co. Filter Coffee Drip 1666-BX"

 

[ocdreefer]

That is just freaking sweet!!!