Help Please - Baby clowns

[agsansoo]

How do I catch baby clowns that have hatched in the display tank. They hatched on Friday Aug. 3rd. , and still alive swimming around after the main lights are off. They are very small and quick. Thanks !

 

[FMarini]

try a siphon or use some sort of filter material in your overflow.
Otherwise--how about -good luck

 

[rsman]

might try doing it in the dark with a single light like a flashlight aimed at a point you can reach easily with your siphon

but luck will help

 

[black_majik]

Trap

Trap

They have a clear container like a cylinder you put food in and there is a string holding a trap door up and when they go in you let down and CAPTURED. Make sure you use some bait.

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10510212#post10510212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FMarini
try a siphon or use some sort of filter material in your overflow.
Otherwise--how about -good luck

OK I'll give that a try. Last night I tried a brine shrimp net. Took 1 hour to catch one baby.

 

[Fizhstiks]

The babies have been in the main tank for 5 days and they are still alive?

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10515241#post10515241 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fizhstiks
The babies have been in the main tank for 5 days and they are still alive?

Yeap ! Is this not common ? I've been feeding the tank Liquid Life MarinePlankton and frozen rotifers.

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10510212#post10510212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FMarini
try a siphon or use some sort of filter material in your overflow.
Otherwise--how about -good luck

OK, try this Wed night. Caught about ten larva. Out of the ten, four have died. Yes there are still many more in the display tank !

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10511293#post10511293 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rsman
might try doing it in the dark with a single light like a flashlight aimed at a point you can reach easily with your siphon

but luck will help

I will try this tonight. Thanks !

 

[billsreef]

The flashlight trick often works well to concentrate larval fish. The Liquid Life MarinePlankton and frozen rotifers that you feed the tank is likely a large part of the reason they are still alive.

 

[xxpipedreamxx]

7 days and still alive.... I would leave them in the display, if it were me.

 

[Fizhstiks]

ARe they still alive?

 

[agsansoo]

Yes they are ... Now the second batch of eggs have hatched .. I need to find a better way of catching the little fry !

 

[billsreef]

Make yourself a larval snagger like this one.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1070141

 

[Fizhstiks]

So they are about 2 weeks old? Have they gone through metamorphosis?

 

[agsansoo]

As Bill referenced above, I am on that thread. I built a fry snagger. Caught only two fry. They were dead. All the other fry seem to head for the left side of the tank. I suspect this has to do with the position of my powerheads. Though all powerheads and pumps were shut off for 6 hours the night they hatched. I believe the fry swim along the bottom, not the top of the tank. I will try to siphon some more out tonight.

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10586395#post10586395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fizhstiks
So they are about 2 weeks old? Have they gone through metamorphosis?

Yes some of the first hatch are still alive. Two that I have in a separate 5 gallon tank, and some in my main display. Those in the main display are about 1/4" long with very round bellies. Not too many still alive I'm afraid. I have a large cleaner shrimp that seem to be hanging out trying to catch the babies. Should I remove him from the main display ?

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10586395#post10586395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fizhstiks
Have they gone through metamorphosis?

None that I can see. I am feeding them live rotifers and live BBS !

 

[billsreef]

The fry are strongly photo tactic. Odds are there was a significant enough light source attracting them to the left side of the tank. Next hatch, turn all the room lights out and suspend a flashlight over the larval snagger

 

[agsansoo]

Update:
Clowns spawned again (their third time in a month) ! This time I'm more prepared. I have a new updated version of my larvae snagged and live rotifers ready to go.

Here's the photos ...

The results !