My Breeding attempt - Perculas:

[dazed]

Here is the update: When i got home last night and checked on the new tank i found that a bunch of the eggs on the tile had turned white. I took a small pipit and gently blew off the tile in the tank. 2 hours later i siphoned out all the ones that had settled to the bottom, i removed around 4 cups of water, i even managed to get some live ones into the mix so i had to return them to the tank with a small measuring cup.

I do have a good number of swimmers and a bunch of them did have silver belly's this morning so i hope that they are on their way.

I did get a bit of a shock last night though as my female laid down another clutch of eggs already, same place on the tile. She usually takes 4 days off before new eggs this time around only 2 days in between.

 

[melev]

I have a feeling the temperature of your fry tank is colder than you think, since it is in the garage and not inside with your reef.

You might move a themometer from the reef to compare it against the glass one, or put the glass one in the reef and see if it matches. That way if it is off, you can increase (or decrease) the temperature accordingly to get the correct degree.

 

[dazed]

I tried something close to that last week as the morning temps around here are getting colder & colder; this week's 5 day forecast is guessed to be around 39 deg. (low) to 68 deg. (high).

I took all 4 glass thermometers and placed them in one tank and they all read within 2 deg. of each other.

My rotifer tanks are not heated and have been down to 52 deg.

You do have a good point though (i have been worried about the temps as the colder winter time comes around) as i just set-up another 40g tank in the garage and i have been trying to heat it with a 100w heater (this tank is going to be for my new bonded pair of GSM, the temp in that tank out in the garage has reached 76 but the heater is running continuously so today i picked up a 250w heater to try out for now.

In the fry tanks which are only 5g tanks at this point i run 75w heaters in them and it seems to be enough to keep the temp around 78-79 through the night.

 

[jmadison]

so dazed do you have some sort of a guesstemated head(and tail) count?

 

[jmadison]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13875916#post13875916 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dazed
this week's 5 day forecast is guessed to be around 39 deg. (low) to 68 deg. (high).

HA HA! you should setup a fry tank in my garage, I think that our low yesterday and for the next couple days somewhere around 3 zub zero windchill. :lol: You might need more than a 250w heater to make that happen :eek2:

 

[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13878096#post13878096 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmadison
so dazed do you have some sort of a guesstemated head(and tail) count?

No not really because there are to many to count, lol; which is a good thing for right now:

I did not add any rot's yesterday at all just some IA to feed the rot's in the tank and to try and get some of the stragglers off the sides of the tank; I did try and snap some pictures of the new ones this morning not the best photos the camera has a hard time focusing on the little ones with all of the rot's in the water as well, maybe it's not the camera but the operator any way here is some pictures:

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and just for fun my most advanced one from the group of 8:

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[dazed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13878120#post13878120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmadison
HA HA! you should setup a fry tank in my garage, I think that our low yesterday and for the next couple days somewhere around 3 zub zero windchill. :lol: You might need more than a 250w heater to make that happen :eek2:

:lol: No thanks; I like to visit the snow, etc. and then drive home. For where I am at the worst case we get is right around freezing so i hope that i can keep the tanks out in the garage as this will be my first winter with them out there.

 

[melev]

Look at all those babies.

 

[dazed]

:thumbsup: Thanks they are going to get their first wc today.

 

[jmadison]

Awesome dazed, and awesome that you already have another clutch! Good luck with the WC tonght.

 

[agsansoo]

Well alright ... ! Looking good Chris. How many day old are the little ones ? Looks like you have plenty of rot's too !

 

[imchris]

Man that was a long read. Congrats on your successes. I wish I had the time and patience to attempt something like this. It's pretty awesome. Good luck! -Chris

 

[rkelman]

They look great Dazed. How old are they? It seems too early for a WC to me. I just keep up the amquel until they are old enough (past meta) for me to put sponge filter in.

 

[sober_pollock]

Suggestion for temperature control:

I know money is tight these days (It is for me). This might be just cheap enough.

Get a couple of sheets of styrofoam insulation from HD or Lowes. Build a sort of "cabinet" around your setup in the garage. There is no need for any studs or structure. Just cut the styrofoam to size and use duct tape on the corners to assemble it. The pink stuff is pretty rigid, it will support itself. Don't forget to put some on the floor, and make sure you leave yourself enough room to work in it.

You might want to use a light bulb in the bottom to warm it if it is getting cold enough.

If you wanted to get REALLY elaborate, you could get a "plug-in" thermostat to control the light bulb.

This would allow you to stabilize the temperatures in your setup for breeding and rearing.

It would also block drafts and light from getting in.

 

[jmadison]

OOOO heat lamp in the garage with a plug in thermostat! great thinking!

 

[melev]

Alternately, put the fry tank in a larger aquarium. Fill the larger one with water, a small powerhead and a heater. This water jacket will keep the fry tank temperature very stable even in a colder environment.

 

[jmadison]

another great one melev! you could use a whole bunch crisco, fats a good insulator. Although i figure thats not cost evective and ultra messy. But your fry would be protected by whale technology :lol:

 

[rkelman]

Or you could just put a heater in the fry tank... I know its crazy

 

[FB]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13891755#post13891755 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rkelman
Or you could just put a heater in the fry tank... I know its crazy

LOL

 

[jmadison]

So what'd you decide? Construct a titanium fry shack or did you go with the geo thermal setup? haha seriously tho any updates on the little silver bellies?