My Breeding attempt - Perculas:

[dazed]

Thanks again :beer:

For me i started with the miracle grow because that is the recipe i found, & is the reason i started this thread as well so i can pick your guys brains and try to get started with the best possible information. I will be switching my phyto mix later on today when i split the cultures.

I don't know how much water the live culture will have but i am thinking not all that much. I will shoot for doubling the volume and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[rkelman]

Tagging along. Looks like you have a good start. Good luck!

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12647141#post12647141 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
Tagging along. Looks like you have a good start. Good luck!

Thanks i think i am going to need it lol...
I have read through your thread as well and have picked up information from it. so thanks for that as well..

 

[dazed]

Ok did some trading at the lfs yesterday & picked up some stuff. 2 10g tanks, 2 12w light fixtures, 2 75w heaters, some airstones, etc. Also last night i changed up my culture station as well. I now have the rotifers on the bottom shelf and the phyto placed above them to hopefully avoid contamination issues between the 2. Here is what it looks right now.

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also yesterday i received my (s) strain of live culture of rotifers. I checked the sg and it was at 35ppt so i mixed up some water to match and adjust temp and placed them in a container. Last night i did add some of my phyto as well. Here is what they look like: I have the (L) strain on the right and the (s) strain on the left.

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I would like to get these cultures moved over into 5g buckets how do i go about doing that?
do i just add water little by little??

Does the rotifer culture need direct light to thrive??

 

[agsansoo]

Wow, nice work ! Quick feed your s-strain rots, the water is too clear !
I don't like using bucket for my rots. I use 2-1/2 quart plastic jars. You only use light if your feeding live phyto (instead of instant algae). It's not necessary, just feeds the rots longer.

 

[rkelman]

Just pour the culture into a bucket and add double that amount in water. Then in a couple days add double that amount. Keep feeding as normal. I don't use light on my cultures at all. They don't need it. It may extend the phyto in the water but If you have a dense culture (which you should) it won't make a noticeable difference.

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12654442#post12654442 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agsansoo
Wow, nice work ! Quick feed your s-strain rots, the water is too clear !
I don't like using bucket for my rots. I use 2-1/2 quart plastic jars. You only use light if your feeding live phyto (instead of instant algae). It's not necessary, just feeds the rots longer.

thanks; is the culture on the right closer to what it should look like?

also i just have very light aeration in there is that correct?

one other thing do i need heat in there at all.
Remember for me this are out in my garage so i am guessing that the temp is swinging up and down.

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12654967#post12654967 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
Just pour the culture into a bucket and add double that amount in water. Then in a couple days add double that amount. Keep feeding as normal. I don't use light on my cultures at all. They don't need it. It may extend the phyto in the water but If you have a dense culture (which you should) it won't make a noticeable difference.

thanks for the info i will go ahead and try to get them into the 5g buckets today if i get a chance. Should i use new mixed saltwater or can i use the water from my reef (the removed water during a water change? i keep my reef @ 1.026?

how much should i be feeding? i added 15ml this morning to my new (s) strain and it lightly tinted the water green. is that how it should be kept??

also the 2 rotifers cultures are at different sg:
the L strain is at 1.010 &
the S strain is at 1.025

i need to check the sg of my phyto but it should be around 1.019-1.020 i think.

 

[agsansoo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12656481#post12656481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dazed
thanks; is the culture on the right closer to what it should look like?

also i just have very light aeration in there is that correct?

one other thing do i need heat in there at all.
Remember for me this are out in my garage so i am guessing that the temp is swinging up and down.

Yes like the one on the right. The rots will feed on the algae and turn it yellow. Do not let it go clear. As for temp, should be from 60-77 F. The cooler it is, the longer they live. But at a cost of reproducing. They only live around 20-23 days anyways. What are the temps in your garage ?

 

[dberry28]

nice set up

 

[FB]

When are the eggs due?

 

[rkelman]

I use 1.020 for all my larvae / growout / cultures. Makes it easier.

 

[Lifes A Beach]

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome to the fun, fantastic, and frustrating world of raising clownfish fry! And thanks for the mention of reading some of my posts about this subject, hope it can help in any way.

Looks like you're on your way! From my experiences, the primary tool that I've found to a successful hatch is to have PLENTY of rotifers ready. And, yes, this was the hardest thing to accomplish for me in the beginning (and is hard for alot of others by reading these posts ). I started my rotifers from live cultures from SeaHorseSource.com and they're still going strong. But I keep my cultures at 1.019 sg and feed Instant Algae Nanno. That way I don't need to culture live phyto (less work). No extra lighting for them either (lower heat and cost). Right now I have four 1-gal jugs going (glass pickle jars) and these have been keeping my hatches going. I am considering trying a few 5-gal buckets for higher rotifer production since my hatch rates have been really good. I use sterilized water from the parent tank for rotifer water changes (I microwave 1 gal. for 7 minutes). Use a 53-micron filter to sieve the rots and then add them to your fry tank. Make sure not to add any of the rot water to the fry tank.

Looks like you're getting plenty of great advice. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is to keep an eye on your ammonia levels once the fry hatch. I use Amquel for ammonia treatment.

Good luck and keep us all posted with your progress!!!

--Barbara

 

[Lifes A Beach]

I also use the s-strain rotifers. You should only add enough phyto or nanno to tint the water a light green. Once you get your cultures going, you'll be able to see the difference in the water color as the rots consume the greenwater. It becomes less green (clearer). Then you can adjust how much you'll need to add. I usually add a little twice a day rather than one big addition. As previously mentioned, you do not want the water to ever be clear - your rots will die.

For aeration on the rots, I use a plain rigid airline (no airstone) and just a small amount of bubbles. Someone else described it as "being able to count the bubbles slowly" so you don't want turbulent water! I guess it would be maybe 2 bubbles per second? Not very much (in Joyce Wilkerson's book, she explained that too much bubbling would actually injure the rots). Just enough to slowly turn the rotifers in the water.

If you have fairly good eyesight, you shouldn't need a magnifying glass to see the rots. Shine a small flashlight from below the water line and aim it slightly up toward the top and you'll be able to see the rots in the water.

Hope this helps!

--Barbara

 

[billsreef]

Re: Welcome!

Re: Welcome!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12660056#post12660056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lifes A Beach
One thing I haven't seen mentioned is to keep an eye on your ammonia levels once the fry hatch.

Greenwater techniques with live phyto in the fry tank work very well for ammonia, as well as keeping the rots fed

 

[agsansoo]

Like Bill said, live phyto in the larvae tank with water changes too !

 

[Lifes A Beach]

phyto

phyto

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12661145#post12661145 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billsreef
Greenwater techniques with live phyto in the fry tank work very well for ammonia, as well as keeping the rots fed

I should have a new hatch tomorrow night. Maybe I'll try this technique with live phyto and see if I get good results like I do with Instant Algae and not use Amquel for ammonia. I just have to find a fellow reefer in the area that has some live phyto to spare.

--Barbara

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12657541#post12657541 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agsansoo
Yes like the one on the right. The rots will feed on the algae and turn it yellow. Do not let it go clear. As for temp, should be from 60-77 F. The cooler it is, the longer they live. But at a cost of reproducing. They only live around 20-23 days anyways. What are the temps in your garage ?

I understand that the rotifer should eat/clear up the phyto that is dosed but i have not added any phyto to the one culture pictured on the right for a few days now and it is not getting lighter at all for a bit it actually seemed to be getting darker green. Does that mean the culture is dead?

As for temps; in my garage this is going to a hard one to pin down. I live very close to the coast so this time of year it is around the upper 50's in the am to upper 70's midday. I purchased a cheap thermometer and placed it in the garage and have seen a low of 48 and a high of 105, but i assume that is the ambient temp. as for the temp of my phyto and rot's i don't know. How could i measure those without the risk of contamination?

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12657936#post12657936 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dberry28
nice set up

Thanks i think i am officially in over my head though....:rollface:

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12658410#post12658410 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FB
When are the eggs due?

They seem to be hatching 9 days after being laid in my reef. So my guess is this Wed night. I still have no clue as to what my rotifers are up to, but i do plan on taking your advice and going through the process of removal & bubbling in the larvae tank .