Change Page: < 123 > | Showing page 2 of 3, messages 21 to 40 of 48 - powered by ASPPlayground.NET Forum Trial Version
Author
|
Message
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 7:44 PM
( permalink)
Yes, larvae will "sleep" just like adults do. Kinda scary the first time you see it. I occasionally get batches that just don't seem to do well.
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 8:06 PM
( permalink)
Ok, thanks Tal. Maybe me pulling them early didn't help either. I guess mine are 10 day incubators. Now I know that I can plan better. On the brighter side, they just spawned again although I will be out of town when they hatch, so this new batch won't be collected. Pics taken about 18-20 hours post spawn (3rd batch):
<message edited by EasterEggs on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 11:52 AM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Sunday, June 17, 2012 11:53 AM
( permalink)
I lost all the larvae from the June 3rd batch on day 3, so I decided to leave instructions for the tank sitters on how to pull the eggs, put them in the hatching tank, and get the larvae going. They hatched on June 14th, and I see there are about 20-30 larvae swimming around today on day 4. I have no idea how many started off in there although the tank sitter commented he "missed some of them" as I understand they started hatching before he pulled the tile. Maybe some hatched on the 9th day I'm not sure - will have to ask him. The larvae in there now look strong and move around a lot although they are dark like the last ones (normal for Darwins?) and I noticed that they were hanging out at the sides of the tank when I needed to add more greenwater.
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Sunday, June 17, 2012 2:57 PM
( permalink)
I've noticed that some larvae rest particularly the first night, and if the tank isn't scrupulously clean and sterile, I think it gives oportunistic bacteria a foothold, if bacteria have feet… I have noticed sometimes they all start swimming at daybreak, and sometimes they never get up again. Some folks keep the lights on 24 hours those first days, I suspect for that reason, and to keep them eating and learning to hunt and eat. I'm not sure sure I trust that observation that dark larvae are stressed. Just my opinion.
<message edited by KathyL on Sunday, June 17, 2012 4:58 PM>
check out Kathy's Clowns, llc website: http://kathysclowns.com Captive bred clownfish and more (Wholesale to the trade.)
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Monday, June 18, 2012 3:56 PM
( permalink)
The Darwins are spawning right now. It is cool to watch them go about their business, although I feel like a perv! Haha! They decided to change it up and spawn on the vertical tile of their lean-to rather than the angled tile. I think the female habitually goes to the angled tile every once in awhile though because there are about 30 eggs spread around there while the majority of the spawn is tightly packed on the vertical tile. I'm going to pull the angled tile tomorrow and put it in with my fancy Occy pair that are on the verge of resuming spawning since I bought them in late February. Hopefully that will trigger them to get going.
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Monday, June 18, 2012 6:38 PM
( permalink)
I have a newly spawing pair that are putting out their second nest. Some are on the outside bottom of the pot as it lies on its side, and a few are on the inside of the pot at the bottom. The poor male is going to have to do a lot of swimming to care for all of them….
check out Kathy's Clowns, llc website: http://kathysclowns.com Captive bred clownfish and more (Wholesale to the trade.)
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Monday, June 18, 2012 7:32 PM
( permalink)
Kathy, I was thinking about that when I was watching him fertilize the eggs, he was all over the place. Darn wife putting him to work! Haha!!! I won't pull the angled tile until tomorrow so I can see how well he covered. If the Occy pair eat the Darwin eggs I will never know. This is what they came up with today:
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Monday, June 18, 2012 8:33 PM
( permalink)
That looks really nice!
check out Kathy's Clowns, llc website: http://kathysclowns.com Captive bred clownfish and more (Wholesale to the trade.)
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 6:11 AM
( permalink)
Thanks Kathy! I think they are doing really well for a new pair. This is their 4th batch now. Aside from the scattered ones on the angled tile, their main egg mass looks quite nice. I'm interested to see how well he has done with fertilizing this time since he had those other ones distracting him. In his last 2 batches he has been about 90%, so I think there is room for improvement. 3rd batch from June 14th is 6 dph today. I'm going to run an airline siphon along the bottom of their tank today to clean up a bit. The rotifer density has gone up by about 30% in the last 24 hours, so I might try to sieve some out.
<message edited by EasterEggs on Tuesday, June 19, 2012 8:14 AM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 6:50 PM
( permalink)
Today is 7 dph for the June 14th batch. I'm noticing a significant size difference in the larvae. It seems there are big ones and little ones, not much between. The little ones seem to swim deeper in the tank, and stay further from the light. The big ones are all readily taking TDO A. I started TDO A on the 5th day, and just today am I noticing they are really pursuing it. Yesterday I sieved out about 40% of the rotifer population as it was getting out of hand and I was adding a lot of greenwater (4.5 mL per day in 2.4 gallons). I imagine less rotifers helped the larvae seek TDO. I forgot to add ClorAm-X on the midday greenwater feeding yesterday and had a small ammonia spike in the afternoon that killed off about half a dozen larvae. I was very surprised how quickly the ammonia came on! I'm not seeing any signs of metamorphosis or first white stripe yet, but hoping to see something starting tomorrow maybe. Yesterday I removed the angled tile with the few eggs on it and put it in with my fancy Occys. They took to it right away.
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Friday, June 22, 2012 2:28 PM
( permalink)
First sign of metamorphosis today which is 9 dph! This morning just after the lights came on I'm sure I saw one larvae doing the "wagging tail" move like clowns do, but he seemed to snap out of that and go back to the "larvae flutter". I see at least two that have a faint head stripe. These two are hanging out at the side of the tank at the top. They are doing body bends, and mostly just staying in one spot. I feel bad for them, they look stressed out. They don't have big fat bellies like the rest of them that are (smaller and) swimming around all over the place.
<message edited by EasterEggs on Friday, June 22, 2012 4:30 PM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 5:32 PM
( permalink)
About 50% of the larvae have settled into fry now (13 dph), about 25% are partway through metamorphosis, and the remaining 25% haven't started meta yet. At least this is how it appears to my untrained eye! Yesterday (12 dph) was the peak of the number of larvae in meta. No sign of second stripes yet.
<message edited by EasterEggs on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 10:39 PM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 6:41 PM
( permalink)
Congratulations!
check out Kathy's Clowns, llc website: http://kathysclowns.com Captive bred clownfish and more (Wholesale to the trade.)
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:18 PM
( permalink)
Thanks Kathy! I will be pulling the June 18th eggs tomorrow night. I turned the flow off in the tank tonight, and will check before I go to bed to make sure they don't hatch early (temps have been warm lately). The female is looking awfully fat already. The fancy Occys have fostered the few Darwin eggs I gave them from the June 18th batch to full term as well. I'm hoping they will spawn soon, the female looks fairly ripe. Here is my settlement photo. He was the first one to settle, and has claimed the heater as his territory. This is the same fish as pictured just above:
<message edited by EasterEggs on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 10:38 PM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Sunday, July 1, 2012 11:17 PM
( permalink)
I had a huge die-off from the 06.27 batch this afternoon - about 50%. I'm not sure why. They appeared fine around 3 pm and had the big die-off by 7:30 pm. I added more RotiGreen Omega around noon, added TDO A around 3 pm (air was off for about an hour accidentally). Was the air off too long? They looked fine when I turned it back on, but maybe I didn't look close enough. I did their first 30% water change yesterday morning, and another this morning. Then I siphoned out 50% of the water through a rotifer sieve and returned it so that I removed a bunch of rotifers. Maybe that was too much fussing with them? I didn't see any ammonia spike. Maybe they weren't all feeding well. I will look closer tomorrow when the lights are back on. Maybe they were too crowded? Ideas? Comments?
<message edited by EasterEggs on Monday, July 2, 2012 1:21 AM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Thursday, July 5, 2012 9:07 PM
( permalink)
First batch is 22 dph today and the second batch is 9 dph. The older ones have some second striping, but not much. The younger ones are just starting to get their first stripes. I was hoping I might do better with the second batch, but it doesn't look like I am. If I could get my Tigger pods to reproduce quicker I would feed some to he larvae! So far, the Tiggers aren't very prolific.
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Sunday, July 8, 2012 2:27 PM
( permalink)
Tail stripe started showing up yesterday (24 dph) even though none of them have complete second stripes. Second stripes right now are just near the tops of their backs, not down their sides. I'm worried they are all misbars! I forgot to mention black pectoral fins showed up around 20 dph. Here's a pic from 23 dph:
<message edited by EasterEggs on Sunday, July 8, 2012 4:28 PM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 PM
( permalink)
I collected another batch lastnight (not really sure why...I have too many already). I've been building a growout rack, and wasn't really prepared so I just stuffed them into one of my BRTs. There are about 250 of them. 7 eggs weren't hatched in the morning (looked healthy) - they were tossed. Second batch is 14 dph today and many of them have significant second stripe markings. They all went through meta as a group, just a couple stragglers finishing up now. I'm weaning them off rotifers now. This batch is much more consistent than my first batch. There were about 250 collected, 50-70% die-off on 5 dph, just the odd death since. Must have been oxygen or something like that to cause the big die-off. Appears to be about 100-140 of them. First batch is 27 dph today. Many have tail stripes forming, but none have decent second stripes. I think they are all going to be mis-bars. Sadly, I will not be keeping any mis-bars. They are eating TDO B1 very well....little piglets. There were 31 of them collected, and 31 of them are still swimming.
<message edited by EasterEggs on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 10:31 PM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Monday, July 16, 2012 5:10 PM
( permalink)
07/09 batch has huge die-off yesterday which was 8 dph. There are about 100 Fancy Ocellaris larvae in the same tank that are 2-3 days younger, and it seems the die-off was almost 100% Darwins. This large die-off has been a typical occurrence in my larvae tanks, although it is not occurring on a particular dph. I am noticing that the die-off happens just before I decide to siphon out a bunch of water, sieve out the rotifers, and return the water to pare down the rotifer ppopulation. I am thinking that maybe I need to thin out the rotifers a few days earlier and the sudden die-off is caused by lack of oxygen simply from too many critters in the tank. It would make sense the Darwins would die first being older and and a bit bigger. For a sudden large die-off there must be something very toxic going on.
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Darwin)
Sunday, July 22, 2012 2:07 PM
( permalink)
Pics from yesterday after I moved them all. 06/14 batch got moved to the new growout tank. 06/27 batch got moved from a 10 gallon to a 5 gallon to free up the bigger larvae tank. 06/14 batch (all misbars except for one): 06/27 batch (still 60% misbar):
<message edited by EasterEggs on Sunday, July 22, 2012 4:09 PM>
Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]
|
|
|