Starting back up breeding systems

[Centropyge]

I am starting back up my breeding efforts after several year hiatus. I had to break down everything due to travel for work but now I have time and want to pick back up. It's been several years and I can tell from reading the forums that folks are having pretty good success with smaller home setups. I have just gotten the brood stock system started. The system is pretty basic setup, mostly using the equipment I had available. It is currently three drilled 20 high tanks, placed lengthwise in to the stand. The sump is 36" with a return chamber and using the Reef Octopus Skimmer. Keeping the filter socks for now, return pumps are Supreme Mag 5s, one for each supply loop. I am trying the MarinePure Biolfilter Media in the sump which I picked up since these systems will not have a lot of LR. The total capacity of the systems will be about 120 Gallons when all tanks are complete, three 20's and 4 X 10's or 15's. depending on what I can get at Petco! The tanks them selves have some crushed coral and sand with some LR for cover. I am going to add some macro algae to the tanks to give some additional protection for the fish, not planning on keeping any corals in these tanks so the lighting is pretty much a T5 strip and a Razr LED that I had from previous nano tank. I've got a DA Reefkeeper on the system to monitor the basics and control the lights. Each tank has a small powerhead, I picked up a couple of Freesea pumps for circulation. I am maintaining the salinity at 25 PPT, a bit lower than my reek tanks. So far there is only one tank with any fish, a pair of small Darwin Clowns with a RBTA that had just split in the main display and a pair of six-line wrasses. I'm looking to add more pairs over the next month but taking it slow to start. A few images of the brood stock setup included. Next up is getting my copepods and rotifer rearing going. I currently have several pairs of Cardinals (PJ and Ochre-striped) spawning in my display so I may try to collect some larva once I have some cultures going. I was working with Tailspot Blennies and White Ray (Yasha) Gobies when I had to break things down. Just ordered a bonded pair of the gobies so hoping that these guys will do well and spawn over the next few months. I found a bonded pair of six-line Wrasses locally and will be adding a few clown pairs and Bangaii Cardinals as well. I've had pretty good luck in the past housing a pair clowns and cardinals together. I'm looking forward to getting back in to this part of the hobby and welcome advice! I used to get a lot of good info on the MOFIB site but apparently that is no longer active? Thanks! Bob Z. Marietta, GA

 

[Centropyge]

Beginning to stock these tanks. I picked up six Bangaii Cardinals to start pairing up. I'll watch them to see who pairs up and move that pair to another tank in the system. With any luck, I'll end up with two pairs to start with and then look for another couple to keep pairing. Odd man (woman?) out will go in to my 180 display.

 

[sunfishh]

Good luck with the breeding project

 

[ThRoewer]

Beginning to stock these tanks. I picked up six Bangaii Cardinals to start pairing up. I'll watch them to see who pairs up and move that pair to another tank in the system. With any luck, I'll end up with two pairs to start with and then look for another couple to keep pairing. Odd man (woman?) out will go in to my 180 display.

Do you let the males carry the eggs to term or do you take them out of his mouth and incubate them artificially?
I never got any baby fish brom my Banggais despite the fact that they spawned regularly. Usually, after 2 weeks all eggs had been eaten by the male.

 

[Centropyge]

I've always let the males continue to hold until they were ready to release. I tried to separate the male from the female after he released for a week to 10 days so I could feed him heavily. Otherwise, the female spawned too quickly and the males would not have enough time to replenish. I don't know if that helped my males continue to hold longer or not, but seemed to work for me.

 

[ThRoewer]

I think that is the trick to breed them in captivity - or feeding them like Anthias, all day long. I tried it with leaving male and female together and the male would never keep the eggs longer than 10 days.
On top of that, the juveniles are not that easy to raise either.
IMO, anemonefish and especially ocellaris and percula are still the easiest - if you manage to house and feed the thousands of fish you will end up with in quite a short time...

 

[Centropyge]

Quick update on my systems. I now have one definite bonded pair of Bangaii Cardinals, and it looks like maybe a second bonded pair forming. Had to move the four cardinals out of the tank to another brood stock tank once the first pair formed. My pair of White-Ray (yasha) Gobies has acclimated nicely and begun hovering outside their burrow. The Photon Clownfish look like they are doing some site maintenance and could start spawning. The Darwins are still juvenile and will be some time for them to start. The Six-line Wrasses seem pretty happy in their tank but they are fairly young as well so not expecting any spawning anytime soon. In my main systems, The Ochre-striped Cardinals continue to spawn every few weeks. I tried to catch the last spawn release but miss timed it and he released when I did not have my vossen trap running. I'll try for the next spawn. I also noticed that one of the Three-stripped Damsels spawned in another system, her nest is in the corner of the tank and there is a nice mass of eggs on the glass. I may try to catch some of those when they hatch out as well.