Picasso and True Perc laying eggs- rookie help for hatchery setup

[ReefWreak]

What point of your tank's lighting cycle did you collect?

You said you turned your lights off. I have a clutch that are probably hatching tonight (I thought they would hatch last night, and I think they may be hatching in batches) and I used a cell phone light covered with a paper towel to give a dim light at the top of the tank, and turned the pumps to feed mode, just to see if I could get them to come up to that light. I tried that about an hour after the lights went out in my tank, and I didn't see any movement.

Good to hear you were able to catch plenty though. I'm just curious as to timing/methodology.

 

[jlnielsen13]

What point of your tank's lighting cycle did you collect?

You said you turned your lights off. I have a clutch that are probably hatching tonight (I thought they would hatch last night, and I think they may be hatching in batches) and I used a cell phone light covered with a paper towel to give a dim light at the top of the tank, and turned the pumps to feed mode, just to see if I could get them to come up to that light. I tried that about an hour after the lights went out in my tank, and I didn't see any movement.

Good to hear you were able to catch plenty though. I'm just curious as to timing/methodology.

So mine hatched in batches as well over the course of 2 nights with some still remaining today on the rock.

I turned the lights off at 7pm and covered the tank in blankets. I waited 30 minutes and then turned on a flashlight at the top of the tank shining down. I waited another 30 minutes and began collecting.

Honestly, after the first collection of about 20, it was really hit and miss the rest of the night. I collected maybe another 10 on numerous attempts.

Overall, I might have 30 ish fry but am kinda disappointed I couldn't catch more as I am sure there were hundreds!

I wonder if lots of them get stuck in the anemones around them and are eaten??

Hope that helps,
JIM

 

[ReefWreak]

It does help, thanks!

What time do your lights normally turn off at night (sorry, I'm not sure if you manually do it, or if they normally turn themselves off at 9pm or what)?

Did you diffuse the light to the flashlight? Was it a dimmer flashlight? I've been reading recently that the fry can get disoriented/shocked from too bright of a light, so I've been covering my cellphone light with paper towel so it's much more diffuse.

Did you leave that flashlight at the top of the tank on for the whole duration? It sounds like you went back again after the first collection, did you go back every few hours all night or something?

I imagine they get eaten by many things in the tank, probably the anemone too. I'm sure mine will be gobbled by the torch coral they nested under, and will be blown around and feed my acros, and probably get sucked up into my skimmer too. It would be neat to see some baby clowns growing in my filter-less sump in the back of my biocube, but of course quite unlikely.

 

[jlnielsen13]

Hatch Night 3:

So I came home and saw there were still 100+ eggs on day 11 yet to be hatched! I went through the same protocol as before and gave it one more night:

I caught 20 more fry and after doing a count it looks like I have around 50 fry give or take.

They all like to swim along one wall so I'm not sure if it is a light issue?? Also not sure if they are eating but I guess we will see.

I am unsure about my rotifer cultures and since I am now told the "L TYPE" rotifer is much better I overnighted a culture for tomorrow from Reed Mariculture.

I made a quick video which is uploading to my youtube channel right now!

Thanks for following- excited about this week (cautiously excited)

JIM

 

[jlnielsen13]

Here is that video from last night.

Thanks-

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xKFBIo627ls" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKFBIo627ls

https://youtu.be/xKFBIo627ls

 

[D-Nak]

If you decide this is something that you want to pursue and your pair continues to lay in your DT and you can't remove the eggs, invest in a fry collecting trap. I have one made by Chad Vossen. He used to sell them on Etsy but I think he sells them on eBay now. I just set it up the night of the hatch then go to bed. In the morning I have babies in the trap waiting for me to move them to their grow out tank. I think CPR makes ones too but I have no experience with it.

 

[ReefWreak]

If you decide this is something that you want to pursue and your pair continues to lay in your DT and you can't remove the eggs, invest in a fish trap. I have one made by Chad Vossen. He used to sell them on Etsy but I think he sells them on eBay now. I just set it up the night of the hatch then go to bed. In the morning I have babies in the trap waiting for me to move them to their grow out tank. I think CPR makes ones too but I have no experience with it.

Do you turn your pumps down on hatch night or anything special? Or you just leave everything as normal and turn the trap on the night you are expecting hatches?

 

[D-Nak]

Do you turn your pumps down on hatch night or anything special? Or you just leave everything as normal and turn the trap on the night you are expecting hatches?

I turn the pumps off completely. If you don't, the babies will get whipped around and won't make it into the trap. The trap is connected to an airline which creates a current that pulls the babies into the trap. The design also creates a circular current within the trap to keep the babies in suspension. The only thing to look out for is that the current isn't set too high -- otherwise the babies get pressed up against the netting where the water exits the trap. Though the initial $50 seems a bit steep, it's money well spent because I no longer need to stay up at night, manually pulling out fry one by one.

 

[ReefWreak]

I turn the pumps off completely. If you don't, the babies will get whipped around and won't make it into the trap. The trap is connected to an airline which creates a current that pulls the babies into the trap. The design also creates a circular current within the trap to keep the babies in suspension. The only thing to look out for is that the current isn't set too high -- otherwise the babies get pressed up against the netting where the water exits the trap. Though the initial $50 seems a bit steep, it's money well spent because I no longer need to stay up at night, manually pulling out fry one by one.

Again I have to be particular here (sorry!), but you turn ALL of your tank system flow pumps off (i.e. powerheads and returns)? I didn't think a tank can last more than 12 hours or so like that?

 

[D-Nak]

Again I have to be particular here (sorry!), but you turn ALL of your tank system flow pumps off (i.e. powerheads and returns)? I didn't think a tank can last more than 12 hours or so like that?

Yes, ALL of the pumps, including the return. I typically turn them off for about 5 hours, so there's no impact to the tank. The temp may go down a degree or two, but it's never affected the tank.

Lights out on my tank is about midnight. I set up the trap, turn off all of the pumps, then go to sleep for a few hours. I wake up, add water from my DT to a 10 gallon tank, then dump in the babies, and finish setting up the tank -- airstone, heater, etc.. After I'm done, I fire up the return pump and MP40s, then go back to bed if I'm lucky. :beer:

 

[jlnielsen13]

Thanks for the info!

I already contacted CHad and he in the middle of a move or on vacation but will be getting back in contact with him soon!

I get nervous having the pumps off for 2 hours!

The 50$ is well worth me not having to continually catch these buggers every night!

Anybody else have eggs hatch consistently over 3 days??

Thanks,

JIM

 

[Windy2]

Here is my setup. I also have a fry trap but I prefer putting the pair in a breeder so you can see what is going on.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2533865

 

[jlnielsen13]

Great setup!!

 

[jlnielsen13]

Day four update:

Things seem to be going well! I counted between 15-20 babies that are swimming and actively hunting their prey. You can literally watch them stop and curl their tail to catch their prey! Pretty cool!!

Two things have worked against me-
1. lots of babies cling to the wall of the tank and never feed?? I don't know how to get them off the wall.

2. I always had a feeling but my first batch of rotifers did not have any rotifers in it?? I couldn't see anything in the bag and thought, maybe they were just really small. Because of this I lost a lot of fry to starvation I believe.

Thanks to a free replacement batch, I now know what rotifers are supposed to look like and have a good culture going!!

Hopefully we are on the right track now!!

JIM

 

[shifty51008]

I have a fry trap from chad that i dont use but will need a new light if your intrested

 

[jlnielsen13]

I have a fry trap from chad that i dont use but will need a new light if your intrested

Yes that would be amazing! Can you pm me with your price and shipping cost! Really appreciate it! !

 

[jlnielsen13]

Unfortunately, it looks like I am down to 7 fry.
They eat well and have even taken to the dry food (ortho A)


My main problem is that most of them just look at their reflection in the glass all day long?? Does anyone else have this issue??

Would a plastic tub work better? (NO REFLECTION OFF GLASS)

Thanks,
JIM

 

[D-Nak]

Unfortunately, it looks like I am down to 7 fry.
They eat well and have even taken to the dry food (ortho A)


My main problem is that most of them just look at their reflection in the glass all day long?? Does anyone else have this issue??

Would a plastic tub work better? (NO REFLECTION OFF GLASS)

Thanks,
JIM

A plastic tub will work, but simply painting the tank with flat black paint will do the trick. Not only does it minimize reflections but it also allows the babies to see the rotifers better. I use black removable vinyl on some tanks and black construction paper on others -- this allows me to use the tanks for other purposes when I'm not raising clowns (it gets old really quick).

I attribute flat faces to poor water quality and also because the babies are pressing their faces on the glass. Ideally, you want your clowns to look like wild clowns, with nice round faces and minimal defects.

 

[jlnielsen13]

A plastic tub will work, but simply painting the tank with flat black paint will do the trick. Not only does it minimize reflections but it also allows the babies to see the rotifers better. I use black removable vinyl on some tanks and black construction paper on others -- this allows me to use the tanks for other purposes when I'm not raising clowns (it gets old really quick).

I attribute flat faces to poor water quality and also because the babies are pressing their faces on the glass. Ideally, you want your clowns to look like wild clowns, with nice round faces and minimal defects.

Thanks for the reply,

I covered the entire tank in the removable black vinyl aquarium background but when looking at the tank from the inside the panels are still giving that mirrored look that is attracting the clownfish. I wonder if flat, black paint would help out with the reflective aspect??

I think that and nutrition is the big reasons I have failed on the first batch!

Thanks
JIM

 

[BIGCYCS805]

Hey RC,

So my Male Bali Aquarich Picasso and my female true Perc are regularly laying eggs. I decided to give raising clownfish a try and have ordered all the supplies needed from Reed Mariculture to be ready for the next batch- one will hatch tonight but I'm not ready for them. Although I have been maintaining reefs for 20 years I am a rookie when it comes to raising fry!

I figured I would start a thread of my journey and kindly ask for any tips and advice that you experienced reefers may have!

Here is a picture of the pair, my tank, and the hatchery I have set up so far. Lots of equipment coming in this week.

Thanks in advance for all the advice!

- JIM

A little off topic but your tank is really nice I love the coloration what type of lighting are you using I'm very curious