Breed Clownfish | Saltwater Fish

[DirtStar]

I just joined here and glad to see a fully dedicated forum to clownfish breeding.

My Clowns just started to spawn.
I had a single clown that is about 3 1/2 to 4 inches.
I bought two juvi's that were about 1 inch 6 months ago.

Well the big and one of the small spawned two weeks ago, and I tried to wait for the hatch, but it happened very late at night...after 2am. So the eggs were going by time morning rolled around.

they just laid another clutch of about 700, but cleaned it down to around 450-500 eggs.

I bought a 10 gal and heater and lots of other stuff.
Rots, bbs, and more.
My girl and I will try to raise them and see what happens


Rob

[admin]

Sounds great keep us posted on how it goes. We'd love some pictures!

[DirtStar]

I do have some pics and even some good video.
I will have to find a place to post them as they are large files.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[DirtStar]

I am seeing the first signs of the silver eyes.
Should be 2 more days until hatching.

I have two buckets of rotifers going.

I bought a commerical grade heavy duty shelving unit to hold my tanks and rots.
So far a 10 gal tank that I will fill maybe halfway or so of 1/2 display tank water 1/2 new SW.
I will put in the rots and rotifier diet to make a nice green water for the hatch that I catch.

I think I will be looking for a good source of decapsulated bs eggs, so I dont have to worry about the shells.
I will also get the starter pack of otohimbe food.

Should be Sat evening or Sunday.

[DirtStar]

Well, they hatched last night!

It was a major PITA to scoop these babies out.
I covered the tank at lights out 9PM. I shut off the pumps 1/2 hr into it.
I tried taking a glance then and had trouble seeing, so I shined the flash light in.
There were the larva busting out of the eggs!

I had my girl shine the flash light at the top and I started collecting.
They were all over. About 1/2 hr into it I had about 200 easily.
I took em down to the tank. I came back up to get about 50 more out.
I shined the flash light into the display to see about 100 more in the bottom corner!
I spent another 20-30 minutes trying to get them, but they were not coming to the surface.
I was able to pick about 300 all together. About 100 (guessing) were dead in the
larva tank by time I went to bed.

I woke up this morning to see alot of good swimmers in the larva tank.
But, unfortunatly there were some that didnt make it.
With rots and diet in the tank, it is hard to see and count them.
I would approx say there are about 100+ that are doing just fine.

I am having trouble with my 50w heater (hydor theo) as it is set to 87 or something, just to get it to 80F. Not sure what that is all about, but waking up and checking the temp was down to 76-78. I clicked it up one more notch, just try for it to hover at 80F, and if so, it should be all good.
I have two digital therm, two open airlines, and one airline with a stone on it.
All giving good waterflow and small amount of bubbles.

Update: they are now darting for the rotifers (well at least the bigger ones) this is only after 18-24 hours.
Luckily I had the larva tank filled with a roti batch. I was thinking that the rotifers would take over, but the babies are easily gonna eat them up...just hope I have enough rots!

I will have to clean the tank of all the dead ones, but looks like there will be about 75-100 that made it.

[DirtStar]

Update:

Bad news.
Checked on them this morning and only about 10 are alive.
I have come to the conclusion that my little 4x4inch filter floss pad in the corner for the rotifer detris killed them.
I dont understand why I put it in there, other than to help with the dirt, but they must have all got stuck and died.
Lesson learned.
The temp seems ok, the ammonia badge is tinted slightly but is prob about .02ppm, which should be fine.
It was a dumb move, but I took it out and now will have to care for the 7-10 that made it.
It may even be harder, as the rotifers will prob take over. I will have to seive some out, I am sure.

[DirtStar]

Update....

I have 12 survivors that are 3 days.

The parents just spawned again! After 11 days!
I would guess to be about 300-400 eggs, possibly more as they are somewhat in a hidden area.
Less than the previous batch, but nice to see another laying.
They did not use the tile as I was waiting for.

This batch should have a higher survival rate, as I know alot more since last one.

[DirtStar]

Well the original batch are 14 days old. There are 11 of them.
THey all have two stripes!

I put another batch that hatched, in the same tank as them..they are now 3 days.
Most of what I caught are still alive. Estimating around 150 +/-

I will try to update the best I can.
I should be able to get some pics of the elders soon.
But my camera cant take pics of the larvae, as they are too small for my cheap camera.

[alanna]

So how are the fry doing now?