Breeding Journal DataSheet
General Species: Pseudochromis fridmani, Orchid Dottyback. Wild-caught as juveniles.
Social Structure: Breeding pair.
Size of Individuals: M - 2.5" SL, F - 2" SL.
Age of Individuals: Age at purchase unknown.
Date added to Tank: M - Nov 2010, 1" SL. F - Feb 2011, 1" SL.
Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: 40 gallon breeder. 36x18x16".
Substrate Details: Live rock rubble, crush coral, large shells. General chaos.
Filtration Details: Just powerheads for water movement.
Water Changes: Bi-weekly 20%. Tap water with Prime. Top off is RO/DI.
Water Temperature: 76-78F
Lighting: Ambient sunlight and compact fluorescent.
Lighting Cycle: 8 am - 9 pm
Other Tank Inhabitants: Lone male Banggai, 3 blue-leg hermits, one ring cowrie, 2 Astreae snails.
Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: Frozen: Homemade (white shrimp, halibut, capelin roe, clam, squid, Selcon, Kent garlic), PE Mysis. New Era Algae Flake.
Feeding Schedule: 2x times per day.
Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: Unknown.
Spawn Time of Day: Unknown.
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: ~ Sept 15, 2011. This is a guesstimate as the spawn was not seen. I just counted back 5 days from when the larvae hatched.
~ Sept 22, 2011 (I think...female appeared to slim down)
~ Sept 27, 2011 sometime between 11am and 4pm (I think...female appeared to slim down)
[didn't pay attention to their breeding efforts]
~ Nov 29, 2011. Sometime before noon.
~ May 20 or 21, 2012. Spawn with new female. Possibly they have been spawning for a bit already and I haven't noticed.
Courtship Details: Observed on Oct 4, 2011 the male swims up to the female's face, turns around and wiggles while slowly moving towards what I believe is his nesting site (haven't seen eggs there yet). He goes about 6" away, then swims back to the female's face, and repeats. Very cute. He appears to be trying to convince her to follow him.
Egg Size: 1 mm. Measured via a 40x loupe with 0.1 mm graduated markings.
Egg Color: Clear with a clear dot.
Egg Count: Haven't seen the entire egg ball.
Hatch Details Hatch Date: Sept 20, 2011.
Hatch Time of Day: 11 pm, 2 hours after lights out.
# Days after Spawn: Unknown.
Larvae Description: See pics.
Consecutive Hatch Date: #2 Sept 27, 2011. Sometime between 12am and 7:30am, spawn hatched 50 more larvae at 11 pm on 28th.
#3a Oct 9, 2011. Hatching occurred from approximately 10 pm to 1 am (Oct 10). Collected ~150.
#3b Oct 11, 2011. Continual hatching from 3a? Hatching was already started at 8pm (lights still on). Collected ~150.
Larval Tank Details Temperature: 78F
Size of Larval Tank: 7 gallon BRT filled with about 3 gallons.
Substrate Details: None
Other Tank Decor: Heater, air stone.
Filtration Details: None.
Lighting: Room fluorescent, and ambient sunlight.
Lighting Cycle: 6:30 am - 11:30 pm
Water Changes: Not yet.
Larval Feeding Details Food Types: Rotifers; plicatilis, L-type. RotiGreen Omega for greenwater.
Feeding Schedule: Loaded the tank Sept 20 to about 30 rots per mL, added more Sept 22 to about 60 rots per mL. Rotifers are maintaining population. NHBBS will be added on Sept 29 at 5 per mL.
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 Courtship and spawning not observed. The female was ripe with eggs one day, and the next day she appeared thinner and appeared a bit roughed up (mostly her sides, not her tail). I think I know where the male was keeping the eggs, but it is not viewable. Approx 5 days later I find approx 250 larvae in the trap.
I don't have a microscope, so no cool closeups from me!
Batch #3a: Started in 9 gallon BRT with 8 gallons water. First time using BRT with white acrylic installed in bottom. Added enriched L-type rotifers (N-Rich PL Plus) at rate of about 30 per mL. RotiGreen Omega used for greenwater to add just light tint to water, added 2-3 times per day. Using 7.5 watt incandescent bulb indirectly lit 24/7. Adding 1.5 mL AmQuel per day, monitoring with SeaChem Ammonia Alert for backup.
Batch #3b: Trying something different. I put this batch in a standard 5 gallon tank with the heater on one long pane near the bottom with the airstone under it. Attempting unidirectional water flow. Same steps with rotifers and lighting.
Batch 3a and 3b turned out to be hermit crab larvae! Must look closer! Ack!
<message edited by EasterEggs on Monday, May 21, 2012 2:28 PM>