Update on Cujo the A. Nigripes clown

[traveller7]

Larvae update at 36hours:

At least 150 of the little buggers. 50%+ have bright fat silver bellies full of rotifers. Some are showing significant growth, others...none at all. Most are quite active, much more then I have seen in the chrysogaster, maroons, and ocellaris.

Although, I was not really prepared to raise a full batch, I am optimistic a few might actually make it in the make shift environment I put together on hatch night. We'll see what happens over the next few days.

Cheers.

 

[Bryan Thompson]

I was wondering how they were doing! Cujo came to me as a tiny tiny fish. She was the size of a thumbnail when I got her. I really liked her (it at the time) so I put her in a 40 breeded with a bunch of zoo frags and a small haddoni. I had her for about 4-5 months. Over that time she got pretty mean. You could not put a hand in the tank without being attacked.

Scott called one day and I was telling him the story of a little fish that attacked like cujo and he proceeded to talk me out of her.

I brought in another batch a few months later and lost all but one. The lone survivor went into a 4x8 coral tank for about 4 weeks. After he started to get his attitude I knew he was ready for Scott.

They are really cool fish and I am really happy to see Scott will have tank raised ones since the wild ones are not a good bet.

Bryan

 

[traveller7]

Thanks for dropping in Bryan

Fwiw: Cujo's personality has not mellowed, just last night she jumped out of the tank and bounced of the 70wt MH fixture while chasing me out of the tank. Fortunately, she has only ricocheted off and out of the tank once to date.

At 60hrs in, looking like most of the fry are eating well, figure it will be fairly static for the next 2-3 days. Some of them are shockingly large at this age. Thought I actually saw more then one bending their tails, but that just should not be happening at this age so I think it was influenced by the observer's hopes

Next Friday will likely be make or break for this batch so I am getting prepared for a dramatic weekend.

Wish the batch and I luck.

 

[MarinaP]

Best of luck, I wish I could be there with you and the batch in person

 

[acrodave]

If she is so mean how come she did not run off the tusk? is the tusk huge

 

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13526432#post13526432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarinaP
Best of luck, I wish I could be there with you and the batch in person

Thanks and you are in spirit

With my schedule, you can bet I would not even bother unless I had seen your setup in operation for all those years ;>)

 

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13526446#post13526446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acrodave
If she is so mean how come she did not run off the tusk? is the tusk huge

Clowns tend to "sleep" at night and the first breeding location was not a good choice for defending in a tank full of predators.

She definitely did more then just hold her own with the tusk(7"+), triggers, eels, and everything else. The only fish that ever kept her in check was a large female Chrysopterus clown.

 

[MJI]

Nice work, Scott... hoping this goes well!

 

[acrodave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13526606#post13526606 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by traveller7
Clowns tend to "sleep" at night and the first breeding location was not a good choice for defending in a tank full of predators.

She definitely did more then just hold her own with the tusk(7"+), triggers, eels, and everything else. The only fish that ever kept her in check was a large female Chrysopterus clown.

Right on

 

[vaporize]

woo hoo, Scott will soon have lots

Is the gaster coming along too?

 

[traveller7]

Gasters appear to be coming back into condition again, looking any day now based on activity. They have been very sporadic to date although I have not been focused on them due to lack of time.

While I don't have lots of time for details, the Nigripes have been eventful the last 24 hours:

Cujo broke down pretty bad, most likely due to tank conditions the last 4 days, stress, etc. (the 2gallon bowl was actually in her tank, lights have been out, live rock relocated, etc.,etc.,etc).

Tonight is her breeding night, but she is in rough shape.

Cujo's fry got new quarters, whacked the largest of the batch in the move, and the fry are in another "temporary" grade system. While I did not have much hope for any survivors, half remain and are still out and eating. They should be fine in the 10g(half full) for the next 30ish days if I can keep up the high maintenance. We'll see.

Focus for now: Cujo, she has some raised scales, and a "bleeding" wound around her mouth. Tank is getting waterchanges, she is getting medicated flake and pellets, and I am working on temp housing for the anemones.

Lesson to be learned, don't jump in ill prepared and don't give away all your hospital tanks just because you are not buying anymore fish/corals/etc.

 

[elegance coral]

Ow man, I'm sorry to hear that. I sure hope she gets to feeling better. She sounds like a fighter so she'll pull through.

 

[traveller7]

Yeah, it has been a rough night and day here

She is still eating, out and about, but looks terrible. Figure tomorrow is the next decision: full on treatment in a hospital or give it another day and reassess.

 

[traveller7]

Well, there is some good news....

Mom is hanging tough...
Fry are eating prepared foods, Otohime A, can see the belly shifting from silver to red on the larger specimens, etc.

 

[vaporize]

good to hear that Cujo is hanging tough, she's part of the family in this clownfish sub-forum

how old are the fries?

 

[traveller7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13542325#post13542325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vaporize
good to hear that Cujo is hanging tough, she's part of the family in this clownfish sub-forum

how old are the fries?

7.5 days.

They are just catching up with the largest specimens that died 48hrs ago :>(

 

[vaporize]

The first 48 hours is not a good indication of anything since most can live off the egg sag within 48 hours, (hence the large die off in 2-3 days, then at metamorphesis)

 

[traveller7]

No doubt, but in this case death day from the move was at 4.5 days. Largest died, smaller fry survived the move.

 

[traveller7]

8 days in, quite a few good sized and darkening fry. About 50% are eating 250 micro dry food. Some still look like hatchlings. Suppose they are eating something, but not eating enough to really get on the "grow" bandwagon.

Cujo, cosmetically looks terrible; but she is no longer breathing heavily and is still eating prepared medicated foods. I have held off on putting in a bare bottom hospital but have one ready.

We shall see.

 

[luan67]

How is everyone doing Scott?