Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion ocellaris (Take 2)

General
Species:  Amphiprion ocellaris
Social Structure:  Male/Female
Size of Individuals:   F: 3.5",  M: 2.5"
Age of Individuals:  ~3-4 years
Date added to Tank:  8/11

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  12.5G
Substrate Details: Reef Grade Sand 1" 
Filtration Details:  55G Sump with LR/LS/ Protein Skimmer
Water Changes:  When even I can (2-4months)
Water Temperature:  82
Lighting:  1x25W basic fish light
Lighting Cycle:  9am-12am
Other Tank Inhabitants:  Couple hermits /snails

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  3-5 times/day
Feeding Schedule:  9am, 6pm 11pm

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  9/18/2010
Spawn Time of Day:  ?  ( 9/28/2010 was ~ 8-9pm)
Dates of Consecutive Spawns:  9/28/2010
Courtship Details: 
Egg Size:  Small
Egg Color: Dark Orange/Brown
Egg Count: >100

Hatch Details
Hatch Date:  9/26/2010
Hatch Time of Day:  01:00
# Days after Spawn:  8
Larvae Description:  Clearish brown with a silver belly.


Larval Tank Details
Temperature:  80 78
Size of Larval Tank: 10G 20G
Substrate Details:  Bare Bare
Other Tank Decor:  None None
Filtration Details:  Air stone Central Sump with K1 Media, Oversized protein skimmer, LS and Cheto
Lighting:  60W shop light 220W T5HO light
Lighting Cycle:  24x7 24x7 for first 48-72 hours via a 25W 24" T5, after that 9am-12am
Water Changes:  Partial daily Never

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types:  Rotifers and Otohime B1  Rotifers, TDO-A/B1
Feeding Schedule:  9am, 6pm, 8pm,10pm,12pm

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start:   10/6/2010
Days after Hatch:  11
Date of Settlement End:   10/8/2010
Description of Fry:  Look like large larva except they now swim like a little fish. No strips or anything.

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature:  80 Same as larval tank, once past meta, tank is slow brought onto central system.
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 10G Same as larval tank
Substrate Details:  CC Same as larval tank - Bare
Other Tank Decor:  A piece of PVC Same as larval tank - None
Filtration Details:    Sump with LR/LS/Cheto and a protein Skimmer Same as larval tank- Central Sump
Lighting:  T8 (Shop lights from Home depot.) Same as larval tank
Lighting Cycle:  4pm-12am Same as larval tank
Water Changes:  Bi-weekly Same as larval tank
Size at Transfer:  ~.40 - .50"  Big enough not to fit through the same type of mesh Tal uses on his drains.  Never moved
Age at Transfer:  20 days Never moved


Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types:  Otohime B1, Rods food, and flake   TDO- B1-C2 then to a mix of frozen for taste.
Feeding Schedule:  10am, 5pm, 9pm, 11:30pm

Additional Information
Miscellaneous Information:  This will be my first official shot at this.... see how it goes.



You will be required to provide photographic evidence in this thread of each event submitted for the MBI Program.
If your thread does not contain these photos the MBI Committee will not be able to approve your reports.


Here are the eggs...
 
Do they look a little dark and small?? Tell me what you guys think.

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The first spawns can be rather sparse. They will increase with time as they get into the habit. You might want to remove the hermits from the broodstock tank, just in case. I don't trust them.

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

Thats sounds great =)
 
Do you use anything to clean up all the left over food?  The "dad" doesn't fend off the hermits? I reached my hand in there to clean the glass a little to take the pic and almost got killed... lol
 

Leftover food should be siphoned out. The parents can be pretty tough during the day but not so much at night. JMHO

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

Few more spawns and you'll see those egg clutches get larger and larger!  Always exciting to watch

Pelagically yours,
~J      

How old are those eggs in the photos?  They don't look like brand spankin' new ones...

Those eggs look about 3 to 4 days old.....they look normal size to me

 
After much thought, I am not 100% sure. I checked the tank 2-3 times a day but Im not 100% sure. I would say they were laid on the evening of the 18th or the 19th. I check the tanks 2-3 times a day if not more when I feed.
 

 
I will have to keep a close eye for color (silver) to watch for the hatch.

So everyone thought the eggs were "older"... maybe 1-3 days old on the 19th.
 
I took the eggs out of the tank last night and started to bubble them, not one hatched. So today would be 6 days by my original posted date, but day 7, 8 or 9 by your guys' comments on the age of the eggs - Im hoping they hatch tonight.

The hatch happened last night. I almost pulled the tile but there were ~10 eggs still on the tile so either they are bad or will hatch tonight. =)

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Congrats on your first hatch! Pics aren't that great but I can see a few larvae. How many were you able to count? 

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

I caught one in a test tub and took some close ups... this is as good as I can get.
 
Last night I counted around 40-50 at the front of the glass in a "swarm" , with some others still swimming around and who knows if they were all hatched compared to this morning. I would guess the egg clutch was around 100 give or take 20.
 
BTW, Thanks Tal!

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Crazy shot for scale - love it

I agree Matt. Nice shots.

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

Second clutch!!!
 
 

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Cool, they're getting into the groove. Now the fun begins!

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

Nearly 4 day old larva (3 days 22 hours)

 

Fat and happy!

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Here are a couple pics of 1 week old larva.

 

The last pic, the larva/juvi is darker than the rest... there are a few this way. Talking with Tal, this is normal as some will mature faster than others.

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Settlement!

 

Trying to upload a video too!

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Just hatched a HUGE clutch last night... I would say around 200-250 larva. Think I may have to toss the next fry as fish food because I am starting to run out of room.  Rather be safe and have healthy fish than be sorry.

Very cool!

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

Here are some pics of the 60DPS.
 

 

 
 

First post updated with settlement and post settlement info.

Very exciting Nice close-ups... like your idea of using the tube to photo the babies... nice and clear.

Michelle  
 

I still have this pair and they are still getting busy.
 

-Adam

Its amazing to go back and see the color of my old clowns... TDO has revolutionized the first foods of hobbiest level fish!  Just amazing! 
 
Updated first post with my new central sump in BLUE.

-Adam