Percula Clutch, Total loss in 24 hours or less. Why?

Nagel

Old Salt...
Premium Member
Ok, I've gotten a little further each clutch that I have gotten from my ocellaris. I have 7 still from the first clutch that are almost 9 weeks, and another 16-17 black ocellaris that are 2 weeks on thursday. In other words, I must have done something right...

I received a pair of True Percs from Traveller7 a little over a month ago. They settled back into their breeding rhythm, and gave me a nest a week ago. They laid it on tile, so it made for easy removal.

I did these steps last night, pretty much the same as I did with my successful Ocellaris clutches.

Removed about 4 gallons from my main reef system, put it in a 10g tank, setup a bubbler on each end (stone bubbler, so the bubbles aren't too fine). Let that sit with the heater for 3 hours to make sure it was adjusted right. Temp matched the reef (80F), pH was between 8.2 and 8.4 (my normal day / night swing), SG was 1.024. Set the tile up so the bubbler aerated the eggs, same way I did for the ocellaris, not too much, not too little, just enough to keep the eggs moving without bashing the fry.

Woke up this morning to find half the clutch dead on the bottom. Siphoned them out, and replaced the cup or so of water with fresh water from the reef. Dripped the replacement water, checked the parameters, all were the same as above. I then added "L" strain rotifers to the tank. Tonight I look in, and the other half were dead on the bottom. Once again, I check my numbers, still, same as above. My routine was the same as for the ocellaris, and each clutch of ocellaris I keep increasing my numbers (early clutches were learning curves, mostly I didn't have enough rotifer density). Lighting wasn't the issue, as when I checked them this afternoon, the remaining fry were swiming all about, middle and top 1/3 of the tank. I use a 7w mini flourescent for lighting, with a paper towel taped to it so the intensity is fairly low. The fry tanks have black sides, so its not side lighting.

Bad rotifers? I dunno, the Ocellaris fry did just fine. Too large rotifers? (I didn't think Percs need "S" strain) If so, that still doesn't explain the half that were gone this morning. Is it possible that it was just a weak clutch, as this is the first clutch they laid for me since they were shipped to me?

Wilkerson suggests the following for Day 1 losses:

1. Transfer damage (not the issue, as I transferred the tile, and they hatched in the fry tank)

2. Improper physical environment (Airstones were set the same as they were with my successful ocellaris clutches)

3. Lethal top lighting (see above, I doubt it was the case)

4. Improper food size (could be for the survivors, but how about the original losses?)

Thoughts?
 
Not sure but maybe ammonia nitrite or nitrate levels. then i would say temp.

sometimes when i get high mortality the morning after hatch it is due to exsessive water current during the night.

Christian
 
If its any of the three, might be nitrates. Gotta check that. Since the water came from a well established 1000+ G reef system, I can assure you there is no ammonia or nitrites (at least for the morning losses, those losses could have caused a spike in ammonia or nitrites for the afternoon losses though). Nitrates have *generally* been under control, though I have not tested for them in a while (water changes & 75g fuge thats harvested monthly generally keep them in check, and all the corals look fine).

Will test for them in the morning though. Can't test for trites or amm in the fry tank though, as I emptied it when I found the rest of them deceased.

/me makes a note to keep an eye on them for future clutches

I will also try lowering the aeration a bit for the next clutch. I have a nest of ocellaris that need to be pulled this weekend. I can try that then.
 
Do you add green water or IA to the larvae tank? If not I would suggest trying that. I have used both DT's for greenwater and IA.
 
I use nanno3600 paste, and since I figured it was dead algea, it might not be the same as adding live phyto (which would act as a filter). I actually thought it might be bad to add dead algea, sure, the rotifers would eat it, but wouldn't it also compromise the water quality as it breaks down?

I haven't added that to the larvae tanks for the other clutches, but since the three pairs here seem to be going strong, its worth a little experimentation..
 
What about thin larvae? I'm still new at this, but our ocellaris clutches have had high losses in the first day and I now suspect it's due to thin larvae (and parent nutrition). After watching a couple clutches grow out (and I now feel like I know what I'm looking for), the just-hatched larvae look very thin and transparent to me, so I suspect they don't have much of a yolk sack.

However, if that were your problem, you would think that some of the larvae would have survived (they did with me, but maybe Perc's are more susceptible?). Try lights and rotifiers immediately, and for 24 hour/day for the first two days with the next clutch.
 
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