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: Elacatinus Evelynae
Social Structure: F/M mated pair
Size of Individuals: 2-2.5 inches (female noticeably fatter)
Age of Individuals: Unknown, but acquired when much smaller than current adult size.
Date added to Tank: September 9, 2010
Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: 10 Gallons (20x12x10)
Substrate Details: 10 pounds live sand.
Filtration Details: Aquaclear power filter (150GPH); 10 pounds of live rock (with an algae overgrowth!)
Water Changes: 10-20% every 2 weeks.
Water Temperature: 80 F
Lighting: 36 watts total T5HO 18"
Lighting Cycle: 14 hours per day (9am to 11pm)
Other Tank Inhabitants: 1x Ecsenius stigmatura, 2x Lysmata wurdermanni, clean up crew.
Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: Cyclopeeze (frozen), NL Spectrum pellets (for small fish), Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef flakes & Formula 2 flakes, Hikari Spirulina Brine Shrimp.
Feeding Schedule: 2-3 times daily usually around 10am and 6pm
Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: 20 October 2010
Spawn Time of Day: Unsure.
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: Every 8-14 days approximately.
Courtship Details: Pair form "T" shape; Male retreats into spawn "cave" (Hydor Koralia powerhead that has been turned off).
Egg Size: 1-2 mm
Egg Color: Translucent white
Egg Count: 20-100+
Hatch Details Hatch Date: 24 January 2011
Hatch Time of Day: Evening at 10pm, and next morning around 10 am.
# Days after Spawn: Unsure
Larvae Description: 3-4 mm, almost transparent except for eyes, spot on tail and spot on center of body that reflect light (e.g. from a torch).
Larval Tank Details Temperature: 81F
Size of Larval Tank: 10 gallon (only filled to 3 gallons for first 10 days, increasing to 5 gallons by Day 23) (20x12x10)
Substrate Details: Bare bottom, fully cleaned 1-3 times a week; otherwise, quick turkey baster of dirt/scum at bottom.
Other Tank Decor: Heater (with indicator light hidden). Tank sides darkened for first 3 days.
Filtration Details: Airstone
Lighting: Fluorescent 18" 15 watt lamp
Lighting Cycle: 16 hours (8 am to midnight)
Water Changes: Parent tank water introduced constantly at 1 drip/second for Days 1-4. Water at lower salinity introduced constantly at 1-2 drips/second, for Day 5 onwards.
Larval Feeding Details Food Types: Days 1-20: "L-strain" rotifers, sometimes enriched with Selcon for 5+ hours before, maintained in mix of live greenwater (Nanno, Tetraselmis, T-iso) supplemented with Roti-grow as necessary.
Days 16-23: NHBS (San Francisco strain); Rotifers enriched with Phytofeast & Selcon. New Life Spectrum Small Fry Pellets.
Days 23-31: BBS enriched with Phytofeast & Selcon. Otohime B1 and B2, New Life Spectrum Small Fry pellets
Feeding Schedule: Days 1-16: Rotifers maintained at density of 10-20 /ml.
From days 16-26: Enriched rotifers and NHBS - maintaining NHBS around 1-2/ml.
From days 27-31: Enriched BBS (around 1/ml) and Otohime B1 and B2 (2-3 times daily)
Metamorphosis/Settlement Date of Settlement Start: 16 February 2011
Days after Hatch: Day 23
Date of Settlement End: TBA
Description of Fry: On day 23, first larvae to undergo meta - black stripe down notochord, visibly connecting to eyes; this one is behaving and swimming differently, spending more time near or on tank bottom. The next day, this larvae's yellow/blue coloration is much more prominent - looks like a miniature adult.
By day 27, only 5 larvae out of 38 were still not settled. All larvae metamorphosed by day 31, and have yellow/blue coloration. Post-settlement fish spend time on tank sides and bottom.
Grow-Out Tank Details Temperature: 81F
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 10 gallons
Substrate Details: Nil.
Other Tank Decor: Heater
Filtration Details: Sponge filter.
Lighting: 36 watts total T5HO 18"
Lighting Cycle: 15 hours (9am to 12 midnight)
Water Changes: 10-20% daily.
Size at Transfer: Larvae tank converted into grow out. No transfer.
Age at Transfer: No transfer.
Grow-Out Feeding Details Food Types: Otohime B1 & B2. Occasionally NHBS.
Feeding Schedule: 3-4 times a day.
Additional Information (No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please) Miscellaneous Information: You will be required to provide photographic or video 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. PHOTOS AND VIDEO S MUST BE PLACED IN ADDITIONAL POSTS, NEVER IN THE FIRST POST IN A JOURNAL.
<message edited by lake_effect on Friday, February 25, 2011 11:43 PM>