Rearing Picasso Percula Clownfish!

[chris&barb]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Well, my attempt at raising #II failed.

Yesterday I pulled the eggs 1 day early because they had already begun to hatch (so much for the eight day mark) the night before and most were already gone.

I successfully got them into the nursery tank with heater, gentle airstone and it was completely blacked out for about 2 hours. All but maybe a dozen hatched (they turned white) so I had about 75 or so swimming around.
I added seived rotifers and some phyto plankton.. then added more phyto plankton. They were eating very well at first but about an hour later began twirling around and all eventually died.

I THINK I messed up with the very high PH of the live phyto and the mass quantities of rotifers that demanded a lot of oxygen.




You can see their silver bellies filled with rotifers so I know they were eating well.
Tiny little buggers aren't they!

keep your head up

its not uncommon for the first few spawnings to not do well. i think you said the egg count on this one was just over 200, should be closer to 500/800 so i would increase feedings to the parents to increase egg #'s and larval strength (2 or 3 times a day, as much as they can eat in 15min's).

i would also look at the lighting. if they are "head standing" then the light might be too bright. we use egg crate with about 6 or 8 layers of paper towels on top under a dim 15watt CF bulb for the first few days and then remove some towels as time go's by.

what density are you keeping the rotifers in the rearing tank?

[Woodstock]

Thank you for your response Chris&Barb

The egg count was low because the male ate most of it in the beginnig of spawning but he eventually stopped eating them.
I do feed them to saturation with my homemade mush (they love it!) no less than 3 times per day (more on weekends and days off work).

The light might have been too strong. I will copy your eggcrate & paper towel method next time

The rotifer count in the nursery was around 10-15 per mil.

What size tank do you use at first?
I used a 2.5 gal but I might use a 5 gal next time.

Ohhh... the pair are busy again cleaning the clay pot substrate

Thanks again!

[Frankie]

Sorry about the loss Doni. Keep your head high! I never knew a more persistent reefer then you. Trial and error, trial and error, thats how we accomplish great things like you have with your beautiful aquarium.

[nikkipigtails]

I'm so sorry it didn't work out Doni. At least the loss has provided you with more knowledge so you can succeed in the future. Good luck!

[chris&barb]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

The rotifer count in the nursery was around 10-15 per mil.

What size tank do you use at first?
I used a 2.5 gal but I might use a 5 gal next time.

we keep the rotifers at about 15 to 20 per mil. in the rearing tank, feed 3 time per day for the first few days then 2 times from then on.

we use 10gal tanks with about 3gal in them untill they go through metamorphosis, then we increase water to about 7gal. they stay in the 10gal tanks untill they are over a half inch.

[Woodstock]

Thanks Frankie & Nikki.

Chris&Barb - I will set up a 10 gal next time. Thanks!

[Craig Manoukian]

Great struff, thanks Chris&Barb!

[plecosword]

haha, wow just wow! lol just subscribing to this thread, is this the first batch?

[Woodstock]

Originally Posted by plecosword

haha, wow just wow! lol just subscribing to this thread, is this the first batch?

Yes, that is the first batch to hatch but the clownfish's second spawn.
She will lay again in the next few days.

Keeping the rotifers fed and waterchanged still goes on though
They have to be fed twice a day and a 30% water change performed ever other day. That is a lot since I have TWO 5 gal buckets inside the garage and TWO 10-15 gal containers outside I have many different cultures right now because I am afraid that one (or more) may crash. Once I become more confident, I will reduce it down to only two vessiles.

[plecosword]

yeah lol thats extreme backup!
what are other things you can feed them? have you bred any freshwater fish?

[GSELLERS]

Originally Posted by Woodstock

Question: do you use live phyto or instant algae? I have both on hand.

i use live phyto fed by micro algae grow..that other stuff is too expensive

[chris&barb]

we use concentrated phyto for our rotifers, 3-5gal buckets 25% harvest per day

[Woodstock]

Okay, thanks. I use the Algae Paste/concentrated phyto also to raise the rotifers but will use the live phyto in the larvae rearing tanks.

[Craig Manoukian]

Fascinating discussion, good luck Doni!

[Woodstock]

I split more live phyto this morning