Breeding Journal, Species: Spotted Mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus)

General
Species:  Spotted Mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus)
Social Structure:  Pair (?)
Size of Individuals:  Male- 1.5"  Female- 1"
Age of Individuals:  Unknown
Date added to Tank:  5/6/10

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  29g
Substrate Details:  Crushed coral live sand
Filtration Details:  Wet/dry
Water Changes: Once a week   
Water Temperature:  ~76F
Lighting:  Power Compact
Lighting Cycle:  ~10 hours a day
Other Tank Inhabitants:  one reidi sea horse, seven Bongo Shrimp, a randall's pistol shrimp, a yashia goby, a peppermint shrimp

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Working to ween them onto frozen cyclopeeze but for now they pick at the rocks and macro algae
Feeding Schedule:  NA

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn: 
Spawn Time of Day: 
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: 
Courtship Details: 
Egg Size: 
Egg Color: 
Egg Count: 

Hatch Details
Hatch Date: 
Hatch Time of Day: 
# Days after Spawn: 
Larvae Description: 


Larval Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Larval Tank: 
Substrate Details: 
Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes: 

Larval Feeding Details
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Feeding Schedule: 

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start: 
Days after Hatch: 
Date of Settlement End: 
Description of Fry: 

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

Grow-Out Feeding Details
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Additional Information
Miscellaneous Information: 
They are just settling in but are actively picking at the rocks and macro, eating pods.  The tank is full of algae but that also means it is full of PODs!  It is obvious that they are a pair.  They follow each other around the tank always touching each other and courting.  I saw them at the store and thought they would make some nice broodstock.  We'll see what happens...  Cross your fingers!

Added first pics!!!

Any advice? Tricks? Ideas?

Seems like getting them to take prepared foods has helped others in getting them ready to breed.

Chad Penney - MBI Council
Agis quod Adis

Working on that-

Pen them in to wean them, otherwise its sorta pointless...

What do you mean pen them in?  They are in a pretty small tank as it is.

would putting them in a breeders net to feed them work?

Yeah that's what I was thinking.  Awful small for TWO fish though...

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

My female just ate frozen mysis!!!!!!!!

Cool!!!

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

One down, one to go---