yellowtail damsels spawning.

[Tim_r95]

so, my yellowtail damsels have been spawning lately. they've done it three times in the past 2-3 weeks, the last spawns were right after each other. Does anyone want to try raising some babies? lol. I don't really have the time or supplies right now, but i'm sure if anyone has done clowns before these wouldn't be much different. they're laying eggs on the glass of my tank. I kinda want to try it myself, but like i said, i don't really have the time because of school, And don't have the things to do it. Is there like any chance at all that any of the babies would make it on there own in the tank?

 

[Grant W]

How about some pics Tim. I've never seen that before. Eggs on the glass? I thought they were broadcast spawners. I'm wondering if its actually the snails laying eggs on the glass. I'd like to get more info. Thx. Grant

 

[Danny Luu]

sounds really cool. i'd love to see some pictures!

 

[Tim_r95]

I'll try and het some pics up in a bit I'm not home right now. But i know its the damsels because I actually witnessed them doing it the first time. the male has like a little cave he made under a rock in the corner of the tank. And he always attacks my hand if I try to move stuff around.

 

[Tim_r95]

kinda bad pics, couldn't get anything very good from my camera. [URL="http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa384/mittens978/IMG_2039-1.jpg"

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[Tim_r95]

 

[Tim_r95]

eggs, the pic above is his little "cave" that he cleared out and him.

 

[Grant W]

Thats pretty cool Tim, keep us updated.

 

[Danny Luu]

they must be really happy in your tank! let nature take its course and maybe youll see a few baby damsels

 

[Tim_r95]

That would be pretty awesome if i saw some babies in the future I havent seen anything at all after the first two spawns though. I guess they usually hatch at night, so I've never seen any larvae they just seem to disappear after hatching. But yeah. It would be really cool if any babies did make it.

 

[coralfarmer]

They usually will hatch out 20-30 min after the lights go out. I'm sure by now you can tell when they are about to hatch. I had a pair of blue damsels that spawned for me I was able to get the fry to live for about a week. It was 10 years ago and there wasn't a consistent supply of rotifers or other types of small food available back then. I think that's way I didn't have much success with them.

 

[Tim_r95]

but how would i feed them if i didn't know where they were though? i mean like as soon as they hatch they are gone. i have checked the day after hatching like searched the tank and haven't seen anything

 

[coralfarmer]

You have to remove the rock that the eggs are on into a rearing tank like a ten gallon. Right before they are ready to hatch. It's pretty much the same as raising clownfish. But the damsel fry are smaller. They are too small to see in your display plus the fish eat them they get ground up by your pumps and filter. But if you have the time and paitents it can be done.

 

[Tim_r95]

Yeah, i know i would have the patience, time is the restraint right now. maybe some time this summer though. if they're still spawning.

 

[Tim_r95]

Well tonight was really cool. I haven't really been keeping track of the damsels spawnings, but i decided to go and check out the tank with my little flashlights while the lights were off and i saw baby damsels hatching for the first time! It was really cool, the dad was next to the eggs fanning them with his tail, and the fry just started floating into the main water flow. there were tons of little babies floating around in the tank by the time they stopped hatching. really cool experience. . and confirmation that the eggs are fertile. I wish i had the stuff to try and grow them out. I actually saw a couple of the fry swim like straight into the filter, and they were just getting blown all over the place by the powerhead. I can see why they wouldn't be able to survive in there.