My Breeding attempt - Perculas:

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13178490#post13178490 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FB
My tank that has about 200 or so in it does exactly the same thing. They huddle into a ball and are about the size of a softball. They do not seperate too often and if they do I end up with two baseballs. It is very funny to watch.

Well i guess it's a normal behaviour then? I only have 15 of them and with one group of 6 and one group of 4 tucked in the corners at the surface; my heart skipped a bit on Saturday morning when i went out to the tank; as i did not see them right away

Fb or melev have you seen the videos posted of the clowns that just form one big ball of fish?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmIFl4V41VI&NR=1

 

[melev]

That's so cool. Thanks for the link.

 

[tjp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13177359#post13177359 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dazed
any updates on how yours are doing?

Well I over estimated on the count, I thought I had over 100 fry from the 2nd batch.
I took a few bad photos of them all in the tank and counted them in the photos, looks like there is only about 50-60 of them.

The first batch of only 3 look great 2 with 2 strips and 1 looks like its getting its 3rd.
The 2nd batch 11 day old looks like about half of them are changing, I just tried some Reef Chili with them and it looks like they loved it so I’ll keep giving it to them.

I do have more eggs in the reef tank, so to save on tanks can I add the 3 babies from the 1st batch to the 2nd batch tank? So I can use that tank, heater, air, filter on this next hatch.

Terry

 

[rkelman]

Mine do the same thing Dazed. Fish ball.. Have you considered using Otohime? I only fed my current batch once with BBS then because there were only 40 I decided to take a chance and give it a shot. I haven't lost one since I switched. Its waaaay easier than dealing with BBS. Next time there will be no BBS at all.

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13180113#post13180113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tjp
Well I over estimated on the count, I thought I had over 100 fry from the 2nd batch.
I took a few bad photos of them all in the tank and counted them in the photos, looks like there is only about 50-60 of them.

The first batch of only 3 look great 2 with 2 strips and 1 looks like its getting its 3rd.
The 2nd batch 11 day old looks like about half of them are changing, I just tried some Reef Chili with them and it looks like they loved it so I’ll keep giving it to them.

I do have more eggs in the reef tank, so to save on tanks can I add the 3 babies from the 1st batch to the 2nd batch tank? So I can use that tank, heater, air, filter on this next hatch.

Terry

Terry that's good news & congrats. I don't know about moving them yet though i remember something about them going into shock if moved to soon? I would maybe pm FB; and ask him because he has more knowledge than me with combining groups. For me this is the first time i have been able to keep any of them alive this long. I do understand the issue of space and tanks though and it is something i am trying to figure out as well.

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13180661#post13180661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
Mine do the same thing Dazed. Fish ball.. Have you considered using Otohime? I only fed my current batch once with BBS then because there were only 40 I decided to take a chance and give it a shot. I haven't lost one since I switched. Its waaaay easier than dealing with BBS. Next time there will be no BBS at all.

Yeah it's kind of strange to see; i can't really tell if they are taking turns feeding at the surface or what they are doing; i have 2 groups in 2 different corners of the tank. The 3 that i have that do not have their stripe yet are the only ones out in the water column actively hunting.

I have been feeding them a small pinch of otohime a in the morning & evening but i don't think they eat much of it?

I just hope that the ones in the corners are eating.

You also mentioned that the true perc's develop waaaay slower then the rest? How slow are we talking about weeks?

 

[dazed]

ah i forgot to mention that my female laid new eggs last night but the clutch is really small compared to all of the rest of them. Is this something that happens from time to time or something else?
(maybe she had a headache)

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13185171#post13185171 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dazed
Terry that's good news & congrats. I don't know about moving them yet though i remember something about them going into shock if moved to soon? I would maybe pm FB; and ask him because he has more knowledge than me with combining groups. For me this is the first time i have been able to keep any of them alive this long. I do understand the issue of space and tanks though and it is something i am trying to figure out as well.

I don't move mine until they are about 3-4 weeks old. I have moved them earlier but you just have to make sure not to damage them (no net). Catch them in a cup or something and make sure you acclimate them for a long time to the new water. Death's can happen quickly without warning.

FB

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13185245#post13185245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dazed
ah i forgot to mention that my female laid new eggs last night but the clutch is really small compared to all of the rest of them. Is this something that happens from time to time or something else?
(maybe she had a headache)

Something may have spooked them during spawning. If they were startled they may have stopped.

 

[dazed]

Makes sense will she continue tonight then? or is that going to be it?

Terry FB; answered your question about moving them above.

 

[FB]

She is probably done!

EDIT: This is just speculation I have no idea why it was smaller

 

[dazed]

I understand what you are saying. I did notice at lunchtime though that her "tube" was easily visible so maybe/maybe not i guess i will know tonight for sure.

Fb; or anyone have any ideas on how i can put to use a 15g tank that i have. It was my first sump build so i already have 3 acrylic baffles that are just siliconed in place, i can cut those loose and was thinking of placing them in the tank to make (3) sections of 5g each. This would give me 3 larvae tanks for the space of the 15g tank. I have been trying to think of a way to heat the 3 sections without placing a heater in each does anyone think this might work. I wonder if i drilled a hole in the baffle and just thread the cord thru?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3743+11371&pcatid=11371

 

[rkelman]

On the moving thing I wait 4 weeks as well. I use a bowl to transfer them. Netting is hard on them.

"You also mentioned that the true perc's develop waaaay slower then the rest? How slow are we talking about weeks?"

No I'm talking months. I'm under the impression Percs are 12 months old before they are big enough for sale. I could be wrong.

 

[dazed]

No more eggs laid last night; so i guess she is done although her belly still looks bulged out around the sides i will probably just let the clutch go because there are only around 15-20 eggs this time.

Months; oh boy but that does explain why mine look the way they do i guess.

I am just concerned that they are not eating very well by spending all of their time in little groups in the corners but they must be eating something because they are alive.

 

[melev]

Do you drip the food into their little cluster?

 

[dazed]

Yes actually i have been using a Salifert syringe (about the only thing it's good for) to add the bbs in the corners where they are. Of course i don't know if that really accomplishes anything as the brine do not stay in one spot for very long. There are only 3 of them that are actively hunting it appears; and i find it funny that those 3 are my stragglers still with no head stripe, although today at lunch i noticed 1 of them has started to show his stripe and was trying to join one of the groups in the corner.

Maybe their headstripe is a right of passage into the group. lol..

 

[melev]

<i>Yup, to join our gang, you need some ink, lil guy. Get tatted up and we'll let you know.</i>

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13193018#post13193018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
<i>Yup, to join our gang, you need some ink, lil guy. Get tatted up and we'll let you know.</i>

That's funny and after the meeting i just got out of i needed a good laugh; so thanks.

 

[rkelman]

Strange Dazed. Mine swim all over the place when the lights are on. They group up more when they are off. Clowns are funny little fish.

 

[agsansoo]

Mine do the same as rkelman's. Swim all over the tank when the lights are on. Group together on the bottom of the tank, in a corner when the lights are off. The first time I saw this I thought "Oh no their all dead". LOL