Weaning True Percula's fry's off of rotifers

[mwilliams62]

For all of you that are EXPERIENCED True Percula's breeders out there when do you wean the fry off of the rotifers?
How do you do this?

 

[ernieq]

at 5 days or so you can move to NHBS or OTO A. I start adding NHBS and a bit of rots for the next 2 days or so so the smallest ones get some chow before they start eating the NHBS. You can tell they are eating it when their bellies turn orange from the silvery color.

 

[mwilliams62]

Is the OTO-A the same as TDO-A? If I go with the OTO-A/TDO-A is there any special way of mixing it in?

 

[ernieq]

TDO is top dressed with astaxanthin. It is definitely preferred with clowns. Given the choice, I would just use TDO.

 

[mwilliams62]

I have the TDO-A.. Any special way of adding it in with the rotifers when feeding to the fry?

 

[coolkidtr]

I have ad some great great success with golden pearls from brine shrimp direct. Cheaper than tdo and a longer shelf life.

T

 

[Tmoriarty]

I wouldn't personally bother with TDO for the first 3/4 months of a clowns life, mainly because the added astaxathin is there to increase coloration in clownfish which is not a permanent effect.

I start on 4 DPH with OTO-A, and just overlap it a while with rotifers. I normally keep rotifers in the tank all the way through Meta, at least with the majority of the fish. Don't overstress it, just add a little and see what they are eating, adjust accordingly.

 

[mwilliams62]

Weaning True Percula's fry's off of rotifers

I wouldn't personally bother with TDO for the first 3/4 months of a clowns life, mainly because the added astaxathin is there to increase coloration in clownfish which is not a permanent effect.

I start on 4 DPH with OTO-A, and just overlap it a while with rotifers. I normally keep rotifers in the tank all the way through Meta, at least with the majority of the fish. Don't overstress it, just add a little and see what they are eating, adjust accordingly.

When you say "through Meta" which meta stage are you referring to? Don't they go through more than one Meta Stage?

 

[mwilliams62]

Weaning True Percula's fry's off of rotifers

I wouldn't personally bother with TDO for the first 3/4 months of a clowns life, mainly because the added astaxathin is there to increase coloration in clownfish which is not a permanent effect.

I start on 4 DPH with OTO-A, and just overlap it a while with rotifers. I normally keep rotifers in the tank all the way through Meta, at least with the majority of the fish. Don't overstress it, just add a little and see what they are eating, adjust accordingly.

When you say "through Meta" which meta stage are you referring to? Don't they go through more than one Meta Stage?

 

[ClownfishSushi]

Although TDO gets added to the diet starting around day 3-5, I continue feeding smaller and smaller quantities of rotifers all the way up until days 21-25.

 

[OrionN]

Like Jason, I keep give rotier until about 1 month but added Otohime A at day 3, very small amount and increase as they start to eat it. By day 10, all the babies have finish meta (they all have head band and swimming like a normal clown fish) and eatting Oto A well. You can really stop rotifer anytime after day 10. The babies will do fine.

 

[mwilliams62]

Well yesterday I counted only 11 out of 50 from 5 nights ago when they hatched so we are not looking so good right now to make it to Meta phase.

 

[OrionN]

You should not loose anymore after the first nigh or two. If you pive them plenty of rotifer, they should do fine and all should live unless something happen

 

[mwilliams62]

I lost them somewhere between night 3 & 4. First two nights I had all 50.
And lots of rotifers this time around unless I have too many in there.

 

[mwilliams62]

Well I really thought I was going to have better luck with this batch since I was able to feed more rotifers. NO SUCH LUCK. .. Got home from work this evening and now I am down to 3. Started adding TDO-A on day 3 or 4.
I am so ready to scream... I just don't know what I am doing wrong.