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Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Sunday, January 2, 2011 3:15 PM
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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: Sepia bandensis Social Structure: Pairs or groups. 2 males (one smaller) to 4 females. Trio MFF work well also Size of Individuals: 2-4 inches Age of Individuals: Start mating at 5 months old Date added to Tank: This report is the conglomeration of many breedings and breeding attempts. The articles listed below chronicle the events. I started working with these guys in 2003/4 with little success, but have since closed the lifecycle. Currently I maintain a breeding population at the Steinhart Aquarium in the California Academy of Sciences. Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: 120 gallons (48x24x24) Substrate Details: Fine and coarse coral gravel and sand Filtration Details: Filter socks, protein skimmers, RDSB, GFO and GAC in BRS reactor Water Changes: 20% monthly Water Temperature: 76/80 F Lighting: 250 14000k ushio MH Lighting Cycle: 7-9am, moonlights, 9am-4pm MH, 4-8pm moonlights Other Tank Inhabitants: LPS corals, leather corals, clean up crew Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: Saltwater grass shirmp (Crangnon sp.), FW ghost shrimp, feeder fish on rare occasions. Feeding Schedule: Once or twice per day. Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: 4/14/04 Spawn Time of Day: Morning Dates of Consecutive Spawns: Once they begin mating they will do it regularly for several months Courtship Details: Male abruptly grabs female and mates with her, head to head. Mating lasts for only a few minutes. Egg Size: 1/4 to half inch Egg Color: Prupley black Egg Count: A clutch can range anywhere from a few eggs to over 100 Hatch Details Hatch Date: First - 5/2/04 Hatch Time of Day: Usually at night # Days after Spawn: 3-5 weeks Larvae Description: Direct development. Eggs hatch as mini adults Larval Tank Details Temperature: 76/80 Size of Larval Tank: Small. Either a netbreeder or a 5 gallon 'nursery' tank plumbed into larger system. This is to keep track of hatchings and keep them in close proximity to food. Substrate Details: Fine sand Other Tank Decor: Macro algae Filtration Details: Filter socks, protein skimmers, RDSB, GFO and GAC in BRS reactor Lighting: Natural sunlight and random room lights Lighting Cycle: Natural sunlight and random room lights Water Changes: 20% monthly Larval Feeding Details Food Types: Initally feeding with live mysis, then moving onto small amphipods. Hatchlings may not eat, or be seen to eat for days to a week after hatching. Feeding Schedule: 2-3 times daily Metamorphosis/Settlement Date of Settlement Start: 5/2/2004 Days after Hatch: 0 Date of Settlement End: 5/2/2004 Description of Fry: Miniature versions of adults
Grow-Out Tank Details Temperature: Same as broodstock Size of Grow-Out Tank: Small. Either a netbreeder or a 5 gallon 'nursery' tank plumbed into larger system. This is to keep track of hatchings and keep them in close proximity to food. Substrate Details: Fine sand Other Tank Decor: Macro algae Filtration Details: Filter socks, protein skimmers, RDSB, GFO and GAC in BRS reactor Lighting: Natural sunlight and random room lights Lighting Cycle: Natural sunlight and random room lights Water Changes: 20% monthly Size at Transfer: n/a Age at Transfer: n/a Grow-Out Feeding Details Food Types: live mysis, wean onto frozen mysis, small ghost shrimp, small crabs, then onto Crangnon sp. (saltwater grass shrimp) Feeding Schedule: Twice a day until on Crangnon sp. (saltwater grass shrimp) Additional Information Miscellaneous Information: I think I am going to go for a first award on these. The tough part is combining the historical information with current methodology. When I started we didn't know what we were doing, now its pretty well understood and straightforward. Current breeding thread on TONMO http://www.tonmo.com/foru...ht=academy+of+sciences Early log of events http://www.stickycricket...cuttle/progressold.html First Article: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/9/aafeature 2009 TFH article http://www.tonmo.com/cephcare/sepia-bandensis.php 2010 Drum and Croaker article - most comprehensive and up to date article http://www.columbuszoo.org/drumcroaker/ 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.
<message edited by Thales on Saturday, October 1, 2011 10:19 AM>
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Sunday, January 2, 2011 3:23 PM
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Mating:   Egg laying:  Display tank  Hatchlings  Eggs  Interview for public television: http://youtu.be/uc424QIdLtk 'Behind the scenes' vid that shows hatchling cuttles feeding and inking: http://youtu.be/IE_n0X2O5Vk
<message edited by Thales on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 11:21 PM>
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Sunday, January 2, 2011 10:38 PM
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Awesome Rich! Any pictures of the older juveniles?
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Sunday, January 2, 2011 11:47 PM
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, January 3, 2011 12:28 PM
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Nice job, Rich! I'm enjoying the Croaker article, too.
--Andy, the bucket man. "Not to know the mandolin is to argue oneself unknown...." --Clara Lanza, 1886
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, January 3, 2011 2:37 PM
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Thanks guys! I really enjoyed doing the Drum and Croaker article - all info, no fluff. 
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, January 3, 2011 3:18 PM
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, January 3, 2011 3:54 PM
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, January 3, 2011 4:10 PM
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First video I made of S. bandensis mating . You can see the dividers (with doors) that I used when we had no idea if you could keep these animals together.
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, January 3, 2011 5:14 PM
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Super nice! Looks like you were busy this weekend.
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Tuesday, January 4, 2011 7:11 AM
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Amazing, thanks for sharing.
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Tuesday, January 4, 2011 7:37 AM
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Tuesday, January 4, 2011 3:42 PM
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Suffice to say Rich,
Your my hero!
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Sunday, July 17, 2011 6:36 AM
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Okay, Rich, how do I get some eggs to give these guys a try?
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Monday, September 26, 2011 11:39 AM
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If you want eggs, the availability thread on TONMO.com is the way to go. Here is a spermataphore I was able to capture this morning: 
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 10:03 AM
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Rich, why do you wean them onto frozen foods, but then later off onto live SW grass shrimp?
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 10:03 AM
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I have been asked what Crangnon is. Crangnon sp are saltwater grass shrimp that I am able to get from a single bait shop in the SF Bay Area. These shrimp are harvested from the bay, and have been pivotal in my raising of cephalopods because they are inexpensive and live food seems to be important for breeding these animals. I think I pay 18 dollars a pound.
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 10:07 AM
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So it would seem that if you were feeding them nothing but dead foods, you wouldn't get mating activity out of them?
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 10:08 AM
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 Originally Posted by mPedersen
Rich, why do you wean them onto frozen foods, but then later off onto live SW grass shrimp?
Live mysis are very expensive and are the first foods, so after they are eating well, getting them onto frozen saves tons of money. As they grow bigger their feed needs change - namely they need larger prey. I could not find an affordable, reliable source of variable sized frozen shrimp, and discovered that live SW grass shrimp were available near me for a very affordable price. It also seems to be the case that I get better spawns and fecundity when feeding live foods.
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Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Sepia bandensis]
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 10:10 AM
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Originally Posted by mPedersen
So it would seem that if you were feeding them nothing but dead foods, you wouldn't get mating activity out of them?
Tricky question. They mate on any foods, but the viability of the eggs seems to go up with live foods. Seems is very important as it could be several other factors that impact that viability.
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