Pots or Tile for your Clowns

[JustinGr]

I am struggling with the Pots in my breeder setup. Some lay on the pot, and when I remove it and place it in the hatchery, and put a new pot in with them, it will kill the cycle and I wait months for them to start over. Others lay on the glass, and that's no fun.

I wonder how many just put a tile in the tank and nothing else, and do you place the tile flat against the side or male a "lean-too" and do you use anything else for your clowns to "hide" in?

The only clowns that I have of the 6 pairs that use the tile and live in a pot are my Tomato, but my Picasso, Black Photons, Onxy, Percs, and Ocellaris are all over the place and I lose most of the batch trying to collect from glass layers to killing the spawning habits if I remove and replace the pot.

Thanks

Justin

 

[_shorty_]

You could try this:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/117580460/vossen-larval-trap?ref=shop_home_active

I have no expereince so far: but this has been recommended to me. I've not tried it. He said out of all the batches they've raised and all the different techniques (including removing the eggs vs collecting after hatch), they've had best success with this little device. It might solve both of your described issues if you forget trying to remove the eggs prior to hatch. It's their opinion (those that recommended this device to me) that the parents do so much work on hatch night, that it's best to be able to leave them in with the parents for better success rate.

 

[sassAwrasse]

This trap is very easy to use. Works well.

 

[JustinGr]

Thanks. I have his trap, problem is my setup has a euro brace on it, and the trap won't work very well, plus the cubes the fish are in are almost as big (tall) as the collector.

Here is a shot of one set of breeding cubes:

 

[NH Fish]

I swap out pots and tiles all the time and have never had that happen.

 

[JustinGr]

I have some very picky fish I guess.

When you use a tile, how to you place it?

 

[el aguila]

I'm a hybird. Cut the flower pot in half and then place it on a tile. Keep the other half and immediately switch it back when removing.

 

[SantaMonica]

Is there something about pots/tiles that enhances the process?

 

[shifty51008]

Is there something about pots/tiles that enhances the process?

No, it is just easier to pull the eggs out and move them to the fry tank rather than trying to catch the fry in the dt after they hatch.

 

[shifty51008]

Try pulling the pot after lights out the night before they hatch and put the new one in before the lights come on.

 

[JustinGr]

I almost always pull the pot/tile at night. The female will bite the crap out of you during the lights on period!

 

[Chelle's Ocean]

What size is the cube tank? Is it a tank you added sections to, or did you buy it like that?

 

[willfly4food]

How can you tell if they are about to hatch?

 

[willfly4food]

Also how well do the fry nets work for raising the fry? The ones I have seen from the local chain pet stores are the ones that I am thinking of.

 

[shifty51008]

the eyes in the eggs will get a silvery color right before they hatch

as for the net idea, it isn't gonna work if your planning on raising the fry in them, the food will get out of the net the openings are still to big even though they look small.

 

[JustinGr]

What size is the cube tank? Is it a tank you added sections to, or did you buy it like that?

It is a custom made cube. It is acrylic and each cube is about 8-9 gallons. Each has its own drain and return. They all dump into a single sump (Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS)). The sump is 14 gallons.

We make the cubes and filter in shop.

Thanks

 

[Chelle's Ocean]

Very nice/clean looking , luv the way it is plumbed

 

[JustinGr]

Thanks. Fits nicely under my TV in the shop.

 

[Wilrok]

How many gallons in total ? Did you make or have made ?

 

[JustinGr]

The tank is 32-34 and the sump is 14. We made it at the shop, we do custom work.