low density refugia rearing

[wla200]

So I was reading a few old posts and wondered if anyone ahd tried rearing fry at a very low population density in large refugia type tanks? I was thinking if you could get a large enough tank with a large living sand/live rock type substrate to produce microorganisms - possibly seed the unit with natural seawater? - but obviously nothing actively predatory. It might be a low-cost/maintenace way to rear fry. Perhaps get them going for a few days on rots then let them take their chances in the fuge to grow out?

 

[Juck]

Unless you build a massive system,,, I doubt you will be able to produce the amount of food required to grow-out a batch of clown fry,,, they need a lot of it.

 

[JHemdal]

Twenty years or so I used to raise clownfish by feeding them "squeezings" from sponge filters from established tanks. then, got them on LBB ASAP. Didn't work as well as Brachionus but a whole lot easier.

Jay Hemdal

 

[sunfishh]

I have heard that you can raise a few sea horses this way, but I have never tried it.

 

[Kathy55g]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7627984#post7627984 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Juck
Unless you build a massive system,,, I doubt you will be able to produce the amount of food required to grow-out a batch of clown fry,,, they need a lot of it.

In addition, it is my understanding that they need planktonic food. Pods in the substrate won't cut it.

 

[ediaz]

In closed systems most larvae will hunt and consume benthic prey, but most systems are not capable of producing enough, pelagic prey is necesary.

Ed