I have a pair of Tomato Clowns who have been laying eggs every 16 days for months in a 60 gallon reef tank. I have a ten gallon tank (with a heater and air) into which I have dutifully collected hundreds of larvae, and rotifer cultures going full blast ... and yet each fortnight, I carefully collect the larvae, transfer them into the larva tank, and 90% die the first night. The rest die within 1 - 2 days. I have tried tank water, delayed feeding, immediate feeding, extra rotifer food, no heater, covered tank sides, open tank sides, airstone bubbles, tube bubbles ... you name it, calm and reasonable approaches all are failing. One (yes, one) of the many thousands of happy little larvae has survived past metamorphosis. Last night, they laid a huge clutch of eggs, and I wonder ... is there some trick you all are keeping secret?
Help! First Night Demise!
- Thread starter eshlasko
- Start date
what day are you collecting them on? if its past day 8 the larvae are starving already,put the parents tank water up to 82-84deg and force a hatch on day 6 or 7 or as soon as you see silver, by blacking out the room and tank and catching them with a glass jug and low power penlight,when you have caught them leave the larvae tank lights on all night on night one, this gives the larvae about 3 full days to learn to hunt,you may have issues with larvae quality,make sure the parents get fed at least 3 times a day, twice with a high quality pellet or flake and at least once a day with shrimp,prawn or squid-good luck
Zooid
New member
I agree with Bill. The nutrition of the spawning pair would be where I'd start. The spawning pair should be fed a variety of foods and lots of it.
I would put the larvae in greenwater with rotifers and soft lighting as soon as you collect them.
Similar threads
