Breeding Journal, Species: Nemateleotris magnifica

General
Species:  Nemateleotris magnifica
Social Structure:  Trio
Size of Individuals:  3"
Age of Individuals:  unknown
Date added to Tank:  6/1/2011

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  30g (linked to 400g system)
Substrate Details:  crushed gravel
Filtration Details:  linked to 400g with DSB, cryptic, skimmer, 70g of fuge.
Water Changes:  15% bi monthly
Water Temperature:  80-81 summer 79-80 winter
Lighting:  direct florecsent, indirect from ambient light from other tanks
Lighting Cycle:  8 hours full intensity and 4 hours of dusk/dawn
Other Tank Inhabitants:  Pair of juvinile clarkiis

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Frozen foods and occasional flake.  Food reinforced with seclon about once a week.
Feeding Schedule:  3-5x a day, small amounts that are consumed in about 15-30 seconds.

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
Food Types: 
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: 
Water Changes: 
Size at Transfer: 
Age at Transfer: 

Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types: 
Feeding Schedule: 

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.

I started this thread just to track my trio and record observations, as my notes I generally keep are intended for recording for spawnings events not observations.
 
This trio was bought because was a killer deal and they appeared to be getting along well.  I wanted to purchase a set to put into my observation tank I have attached to my main reef system and I figured these guys were a good start for me to start watching.
 
 

So, the trio went into QT and spent 6 weeks in there without incident.  They were then moved into the observation tank which is a 30g attached to my DT.  The flow pattern is such that there is a medium flow.  The live rock basically is placed against the back of the tank and there are several LR that would make for good narrow cave structures for the fish.
 
Upon introduction, all three headed straight towards the rock I figured they would.  This contains several caves that are roughly 3x their body and extend all the way through the rock.
 
After a few weeks, I started seeing one of them come out for more than just a quick bite to eat.  He began to ride the current of the flow.  Daily spending his time in the most open part of the tank riding the flow.  A few days later one more started to be part of this ritual.  I saw slight aggression between the two, but nothing to spark concern.  By the next day one had lost about 70% of its long dorsal fin...it looked as though it had been 'eaten' attacked.  This fish then proceeded to spend more time in the corner instead of out in the open.
 
This behavior continued for several weeks up until about 2 weeks ago, in which time both seem to be riding the flow together, but now both of them have very tattered and torn long dorsal fins.  I will try to take pictures of this soon.
 
Now the third one seems to spend almost all of its time in the caves.  Since introduction, this one has always stayed very near the cave structure, regardless of time of day or feeding.  Every few weeks, this fish seems to literally disappear.  I can still observe it in the 'caves', but it does not come out for feedings..if it does, it does so very rapidly and returns to the cave.  During the off times when it is not hiding constantly, it still stays near the cave structure and tends to scavenge the ground for it's food instead of find it in the water column like the other two.
 
This one has no damage to it's long dorsal fin and it seems to have stronger coloration and a belly that seems to be swollen from time to time.  I am going to continue to observe and see if I can make sense of what is going on.  Of course try to figure out things like the swelling and coloration and see if they actually have any correlation to anything.

When do we get to see pics?

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

lights are out now and my schedule is rough for the next many months.  I am going to try to squeeze in time tomorrow.

I love these fish, so I really hope you have success!

Well, figures after I finally decide to post my observations, they up and change behavior.  For the first time I saw the third out swimming with the others.  Now they didn't get fed at their normal time this morning and I was around long after feeding to see if the possible 'she' went back to her bolt hole.
 
In any event, here are a few pics...the pic of the ones I am suspecting to be males did not come out...so I will have to give it another whirl tomorrow.
 
The tank (I dont clean this tank generally..so pardon the mess)

 
This is the one I believe to be the female, her belly is a tad bit more rounded and I find her colors to be more pronounced...but that is just from me spending hours looking at them.  Notice her long dorsal fin is in excellent condition.

 
This is a picture of the rock they all congregate in.  You can see the one 'cave', but the rock actually has probably 10 of them or so and creates a latice inside the rock.
 

 

So far the pattern of one going and hiding in the cave seems to go about every two weeks.  I am going to try to start tracking dates I observe.

well the pattern does not seem to hold any weight.  lately it has been the beat up fish that goes and hides in the caves....and has been comming out to eat.  I have not seen any behavior that would indicate any form of spawning.

I have been noticing the behavior again of one fish going and hiding out in a cave and only eating food that comes very near the cave.  I, again, cannot see in, as this cave is always in the rear of the tank.   There does not appear to be any aggression at all among the fish that I can observe and the fish that is in the cave is in good condition.