Breeding Journal DataSheet
This first post should be updated regularly to include new information as events take place or changes are made to your system
General Species: Nassarius pauperi
Social Structure:
Size of Individuals: 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch, most bordering on the larger end
Age of Individuals: 1.5 years
Date added to Tank:
Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: 2.5 gallon hang on back refugium
Substrate Details: 2 inches aragonite sand
Filtration Details: low flow from main system to an overflow (approx 60 gph).
Water Changes: 30 gal on main system (approx 200 gal) weekly on avg.
Water Temperature: 78 low 84 high
Lighting: ambient from culture rack (6500k Flour.) and other tank lights
Lighting Cycle: counting culture ambient 14 light 10 dark
Other Tank Inhabitants: none (copepods and worms)
Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: Formula one Marine Pellet
Feeding Schedule: approx 1grm daily spread over multiple feedings
Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: 12-22-09
Spawn Time of Day: approx 10:30 PM
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: unknown (unmonitored at this point)
CourtShip Details: Snails appear to search for mates when feeding and active, when finding a mate of the opposite sex one will chase down the other and engage in small short "wrestling" matches. Upon being able to "wrestle" for more than 10 seconds the focus of wrestling shifts to a front / back match. Meaning the aggressor will attempt to match head and tail with the targets head and tail (not hip on the whole bodypart lingo... help would be nice here) Wrestling in correlation to spawn seems to be more prolific with darker colored shells and lighter colored shells (male / female determination possibly?)
Egg Size: approx 300 micron
Egg Color: bone white
Egg Count: three in this case, which seems to be average, so far either two or three
Hatch Details Hatch Date: 01-17-2010
Hatch Time of Day: Approx 11:00 AM (timeframe between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM)
# Days after Spawn: 26
Larve Description: unknown, given examination prior, extremely small veligers with a bone white shell and slow movement (within capsule) capsule shows definite "tear" mark, and it is suspected that veliger has developed at least the first two (apical and second) whorl of the shell at this stage.
Larval Tank Details Temperature: 80* avg
Size of Larval Tank: 2.5 gal (same as spawn tank)
Substrate Details: 2 inches aragonite sand
Other Tank Decor: none
Filtration Details: main display (same as above)
Lighting: Ambient NO flourescent (same as above)
Lighting Cycle: 12 on 12 off
Water Changes: See above... main system changes only
Larval Feeding Details Food Types: Formula one marine pellet
Feeding Schedule: Approx 1 gm daily at multiple random times
Metamorphosis/Settlement Date of Settlement Start: 01-31-2010
Days after Hatch: 14
Date of Settlement End: N/A
Description of Fry: Settlement counted as first examination of juvinile within tank (Benthic and non planktonic larvae) Approximately 4 whorls including apical noticed. Juvinile resembles smaller adult approximately 2 mm in length
Grow-Out Tank Details Temperature: 80* avg
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 2.5 gal
Substrate Details: 2 inch aragonite sand
Other Tank Decor: None
Filtration Details: Main display (see above)
Lighting: NO flour. ambient (see above)
Lighting Cycle: 12 on 12 off
Water Changes: See above
Size at Transfer: No transfer same tank
Age at Transfer N/A
Grow-Out Feeding Details Food Types: Formula one Marine Pellet (small)
Feeding Schedule: approx 1 gm daily given at random intervals
Additional Information Miscellaneous Information:
Alright guys, due to the pelagic nature of these snails I'm going to document notice / formation of apical whorl as settlement. so you will see settlement prior to hatch as in my first run I've noticed this whorl (and others) formed prior to exit from egg capsule. This may change dependent on results from first capsule. Many things need to be stated here though...
1) We do not have positive ID that this is in fact
Nassarius pauperi and it should be considered only as a tentative ID, we do know that it is some random
Nassarius sp. 2) These specimens originally came from the Reef Stewardship Foundation to which I am very very attached!! The final breeding protocols and any work I do on the species will be handed to RSF. Upon successful studies you may see actual papers showing up over there. Right now though I'm just a hobbyist with an urge to study.
3) I will be omitting a lot of my notes and findings from these journals until I can properly correlate and confirm. I dont want to be the bad information guy and have a serious goal at this one. If you are truly interested in studying, are actively studying, or have studied this species please send me a PM here, on RSF, or contact me via email at thejrc (at) copepodgeek (dot) com.
4) I have been going in circles trying to track down someone who can properly Identify this snail. The downside is that we have no specific origin (only a suspected). If you or anyone you know specializes in taxonomy.... jump up to number 3 and send me an email!
5) The updates in this journal and my logs are a small portion of a current study I am performing to understand "the lifecycle of a
Nassarius sp. snail successfully bred by marine ornamental hobbyists in captivity" This will be my first real attempt at a study and given that my extent of education is a GED, I'm bound to suck... be gentle but also, dont be afraid to offer constructive criticism. It's information from those who are highly educated and experienced but willing to share in a constructive manner that has driven me to put my efforts into this. I truly appreciate the time and the advice!
(Per MP's request to update, more details coming in!!)
I've hopefully lined up a proper taxonomist thanks to Dr. Steven C. McKillup and will update as soon as I can!! Study goes slow and I am now in the process of setting up multiple monoculture tanks to hopefully gain more insight. Monoculture tanks shall consist of several 2.3 gallon tanks with a 3 inch sandbed of fine aragonite sand, light aeration by way of air supply (no bubbler) with approximately 2 bubbles per second... more on this later as I get it worked up. As of the time of this update (3-8-2010) I have in my current test tank 4 more egg masses, all which seem to have at least two eggs, most with three, in all cases with three one appears to not be developing and thus can be deemed either a nursery egg or a lost cause. The single survivor from the documented hatch has approximately 6 whorls (including apical) and is just over 1/4 inch in length. It tends to be the first out for feeding.
I have lost much of my original broodstock due to them walking up the tank and out the overflow of their own accord (hence the need for monoculture tanks) However i have noticed that the egg capsules are strong enough to withstand tampering and predation by amphipods and the species co-exists and survives well with a myriad of unidentified polychaetes (spaghetti worms??).
I still hesitate to release a lot of information on these as I still dont feel my chops are up in the realm of examination, however the monoculture systems should assist in ruling out the many variables I see.
<message edited by THEJRC on Monday, March 8, 2010 10:47 PM>