Alrighty time to throw my little log up into the pot. I'll be using Amphiprion Ocellaris for this little experiment for two reasons, one they're spawn rate is high so multiple chances to test methodology in a short amount of time and two I so happen to have a pair that are tossing out viable spawns on a fairly consistant basis.
I'll plop it out now that I'm not looking for points or awards here and am plopping this up purely out of the fun of it so no milestone tracking guys. I'm also bound to have a ton of failure as I'm testing new methods rather than following the existing methods that have been shown to work. My goal is to find alternative methods of feeding, larval collection, and nursery set up to make it easier and more economical to enter into captive propagation. You will see much less (if any) focus on Rotifers and much much more focus on Copepods and other plankters for food sources. As well you will see additional equipment in use such as enteral feeding pumps (periostatic pumps used for medical), various larval snagger designs, and some different lighting techniques. I will most likely mirror these posts on my site at
www.copepodgeek.com so that I can track my own progress in the future (I use the backend of that site for journaling already).
So off we go!!!
In opening I'll go over the setup real quick (pics to come at a later time).
The Main System My current system is an in wall that has been running in it's current state for approximately 6 months, the tanks and livestock themselves have been run separate for about three years now so it's not so much a new system as it is a "moved" system. There is a 72 gallon bowfront display (we will not be working with this tank) and two 33 gallon long tanks each partitioned into three separate sections. Each section has it's own inlet and overflow and all tanks and sections are plumbed in such a way that I can "detach" each one from the system for experimentation / quarantine. Back end equipment consists of multiple 400 Watt heaters, three sumps (two Brute trash cans holding approximately 20 gallons each and one modified Mars sump holding about 10 gallons) A UV filter run as supplemental, JBJ auto top off, Milwaukee PH monitor, and an EV180 Skimmer (I typically underskim). Two 1100gph pumps drive the 33 longs (one pump for each 33 manifold) and one 850 GPH pump drives the display. The 33's share the smaller sump with the lower 33 manifold feeding through the UV and out to one of the brutes which then flows to the second brute where the 72 is fed. The second brute is also plumbed back to the smaller sump. In this way I can separate the 33's and the 72 for two systems quickly and easily by shutting off two ball valves.
The Broodstock My broodstock consists of two Ocellaris clownfish that were purchased as a pair approximately 2 years ago. The pair currently host in a green bubble tip anemone and lay a clutch of viable eggs every 14 days (on some instances 16 days). The eggs hatch after 8 days and viability rate of hatch looks to be around 80% on the average. The broodstock are kept in the middle section of the lower 33 tank (known as section B-2) and are housed with the BTA, a small Condilactis anemone, a single emerald crab, approximately 8 pounds of live rock and a 2 inch sand bed. important to note that I am breeding Nassarius Pauperi in the same section so the section is fed heavily with formula one marine pellet. The clowns are themselves fed two to three times a day with Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef flake as well as whatever pellets they manage to nab during snail feeding. Tank B is lit with a single 250W dual ended Metal halide positioned halfway over B-1 and B-2 and a 75 Watt dual ended Metal Halide positioned over B-3. This gives a nice gradient light across B-2 (bright on one side, little shaded on the other)
The First Journaled Hatch (for MASM) At the time of this post, I currently have an existing clutch of eggs laid on the back wall of B-2, the clutch is 7 days old with hatch expected tomorrow night. I will journal the hatch with a separate post illustrating my use of a new larval snagger design that I am working with. Details of the larval snagger can be found at
www.copepodgeek.com just click the "Larval Snagger" link on the left hand menu. I will be using revision C of the larval snagger which features an LED light at the base of the updraft tube, as well as a filed down upper cross pipe so that I can separate the snagger and remove the collection bottle with the downdraft assembly as a whole. I am hoping that these two methods combined give me a greater collection rate than in prior breeding attempts.
Nursery setup consists of a 14 liter Sterilite storage tub painted black on all sides (but left clear on the bottom) that sits on a white melamine board so that I can see the bottom. A single 50W stealth heater is dialed to heat the water to 82*F and the tub will be filled only half way at time of collection. Initial water will be prepped at 35ppt (1.026) and seeded with a culture of rotifers, Acartia Tonsa, and Tigriopus Japonicus. Seed cultures will be mixed with 300ml samples from each totaling 900ml. A Compat enteral feeding pump will be used to deliver 150ml per hour of food source to the nursery tank. Initially the food culture shall consist of 80% Acartia Tonsa to 20% Rotifer cultures. It is important to note that I have not accurately counted culture density at this time but will not tap a Tonsa culture unless I can count 3 specimens per ml sampled. Cultures are kept at 26ppt (1.020) and fed a mixture of 60% Nannochloropsis and 30% Isochrysis Galbana (currently). Because I beleive in high nutrient I will NOT be seiving my cultures prior to adding them to the tank. Water changes will be done twice daily (once in the morning and once in evening) using a peice of airline tubing attached to a stick of 3/16" thinwall for siphoning out, and a periostatic dosing pump to gently pump preheated saltwater in at a rate of 70ml/min. During water changes approximately 50% of the volume will be changed. Salinity will be tested and freshwater addition for adjustment will be made at those times if needed.
Post Metamorphasis the fry will be moved to a second nursery tank which is a 10 gallon tank holding approximately 5 gallons of water, this tank is kept at the same temp and salinity but is not opaque on the sides. It is lit with a 14 watt CF bulb and has a small submersible power filter. Currently this tank houses two fry approximately one month old and a third specimen approximately 18 days old, these were from previous attempts
And thats the installment for now, I'll update as I get more time!