Breeding Journal, Species: Copperbanded Cardinal Fish (Apogon margaritophorus)

General
Species: Copperbanded Cardinal Fish  (Apogon margaritophorus)
Social Structure: Pair with one other non-mated specimen (sex unknown)
Size of Individuals: Each is about 1"
Age of Individuals: Exact age unknown.  
Date added to Tank: 10/3/09

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank: 29g Biocube
Substrate Details: Live Sand
Filtration Details: Wet/Dry  with liverock instead of bioballs.
Water Changes: 5g once a week.
Water Temperature: 78F
Lighting: Soon to be 100% LED.  Now is T5 with LED supplement.
Lighting Cycle: 10 hours
Other Tank Inhabitants: (Besides the three Cardinals) One false perc (soon to be two), one green mandarin, one helfrichi firefish, one gumdrop coral croucher, a skunk cleaner shrimp, a blood cleaner shrimp, two sexy shrimp, two peppermint shrimp, a feather starfish, and lots and lots of coral.

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types: Freeze dried cyclops, frozen cyclops, frozen mysis
Feeding Schedule: Once a day every day.

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn: 2/27/10   
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: 3/10/10
                                              3/23/10 
                                              4/1/10 
                                              4/15/10  between 11:00pm and 11:25pm 
                                              4/27/10 
                                              5/6/10 
                                              5/18/10 
                                              6/5/10   
                                              6/25/10   
                                              7/20/10
Number of Eggs: Hundreds?
Egg Color: Orange with a pinkish-red dot inside
Egg Size: 1mm?  Very very small.       
Length of Time From Spawn to Hatch: ~7 days        

Larval Tank Details
5g tank with air line          

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types: live larval rotifers
Feeding Schedule: 24/7

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Metamorphosis:
Date of Settlement:

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature:
Size of Grow-Out Tank:
Substrate Details:
Other Tank Decor:
Filtration Details:
Lighting:
Lighting Cycle:
Water Changes:
Size at Transfer:
Age at Transfer

Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types:
Feeding Schedule:

Additional Information
Miscellaneous Information:  I've never bred any saltwater fish before so any info or help is appreciated.

Here is a video of them doing a mating dance taken on 12/12/09.  They have since continued to act this way for a few days now. Hopefully I will find eggs in the males mouth very soon!

Copperbanded Cardinal Fish Mating

Well still more of the same.  The female is still in pursuit of the male to spawn.  Waiting...

I was out of town for two weeks so I don't know what went on during that time.  Now, the pair still chase each other around but there is not as much courting going on.  Wish I could do something...

Whoo!  As of today, I saw the cards trying to spawn again!  I'll keep up to date with what happens... (if anything)

WOOOOH!!! 

The Cards spawned!!!  


Someone has a mouth full: 

Caught him!

Now he's in a mesh breeder net. We'll see what happens. I'm just taking things as they come right now since I have no idea what I'm doing.

Well sometime between 12:30AM and 3:30PM, the male dropped the eggs.  I put the ones I could collect into a makeshift tumbler but I'm not sure if it's too late already.  We'll see.

Well I had to toss the eggs since they broke away from the main clump.  So I will try again next time.

What did the eggs look like at that point? Were they cloudy?

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

They were still orange with a pinkish-red dot inside.  I should have taken a pic with my microscope.

Anyhow the female (at least I assume it's the female) is super super fat.  I'm thinking they will spawn again very very soon. 

Thats pretty neat -I've often thought of having a large "school" of these in a bigger tank.

Keep us posted, once I'm settled I might have to give this a try!

Well I'm going to set up a rearing tank since the next spawn seems imminent.   And something interesting I learned today from Matt Wittenrich is that IF I can successfully raise the copper cards, I would be the first person EVER to do it. (at least that we know of)

Ok, now I'm thinking they will spawn any time between now and the next 2 or 3 days.  They have been courting like in the video A LOT tonight.

Well, my suspicions were correct.  They spawned last night and the male is holding the eggs.

Well, several days ago the male either ate or dropped the eggs.  Waiting for the next round...

Again already?  This is crazy!  I'll get a pic this time before he drops them. (hopefully he won't though)

Well, again, the male either ate or dropped the eggs.  Hope he figures it out soon.

Sorry I'm so late with this but here are the pics from the most recent spawn.

The pair:


Dad:

Ok, they spawned again yesterday near about midnight.  I won't be able to provide photographic evidence this time though since I was leaving for the airport (at 2AM) when I noticed.

They sure have the spawning part down.

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

No kidding.  Tonight, I literally- looked at my tank at 11PM, then went to the bathroom to brush my teeth before bed, and then when I looked in there for the last check for the night, this:

Sneaky little buggers, aren't they?

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

Congrats on being a new Dad!

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

Nice shot!

Thanks guys, and yeah they are pretty sneaky.  I swear they were just waiting for me to leave.

Hey I like to have a little privacy myself too.

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

Ugh, I think he dropped the eggs again.  

Bummer...Sorry to hear that.

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

They're at it again!  Pics soon, cross your fingers he holds the eggs!!!

Sorry for being late with this: He dropped the eggs again.


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I think he just likes to torture you Bongo!

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

Oh god I hope he doesn't explode!!!  Look at his mouth.  See the pink eggs?



I'm officially going to make SOMETHING to try to hatch the eggs in.  I'll try catching him- and then I don't know?  Open his mouth and get the eggs out like a freshwater cichlid? Or just wait for him to spit them out and then collect them up?  Anyhow once I have the eggs I'll put them in some sort of small container with an air hose to keep them tumbling.  I'll take it from there.  Catching him is hard enough.

(I'll probably try the above with the NEXT spawn)

Those are way cool - I think they'd be great in a 10g even!

If I can ever (be the first person to) successfully hatch and raise some of them, there will be plenty for your ten gallon!

But seriously, doesn't he look like he's gunna 

Maybe if you can tumble the eggs. There are lots of plans out there for egg tumblers if you can get him to spit the on your terms so you can snatch them up.

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

It would be funny if he's just holding his breath when you walk into the room

Uggh he lost the eggs AgAiN...

Again- More eggs.

I NEED to make an egg tumbler of some sort!

OK I'm crossing my fingers and toes this time.

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

Try a glass funnel like the one I use for my P. fridmani:
http://fishtalpropagations.com/LarvalRearing.aspx

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."