Breeding Journal, Species: Amphiprion Percula (C-Quest Onyx Variant)

General
Species:  Amphiprion Percula (C-Quest Onyx Variant)
Social Structure:  Mated pair
Size of Individuals:  3-4"
Age of Individuals:  Unknown
Date added to Tank:  10/15/2011

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  40 Gallons
Substrate Details:  None
Filtration Details:  2 HOB's, DIY Wet/Dry, Refugium/Sump
Water Changes:  Bi-Weekly
Water Temperature:  78-80 Degrees
Lighting:  Stock Florescent
Lighting Cycle:  12 on/off
Other Tank Inhabitants:  None

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Flake/Pellet/Mysis/Brine/Various Frozen Foods
Feeding Schedule:  5 times a day

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  10/16/2011(#1)
Spawn Time of Day:  Afternoon
Dates of Consecutive Spawns:  10/27/11(#2)...1/21/12(#9), 2/2/12(#10)
Courtship Details:  None
Egg Size:  Small
Egg Color:  Light Orange then Dark before Clear and Silver
Egg Count:  ~300-400

Hatch Details
Hatch Date:  10/24/11(#1)
Hatch Time of Day:  8PM
# Days after Spawn:  8
Larvae Description:  Fry-like


Larval Tank Details
Temperature:  78-80 Degrees
Size of Larval Tank:  10 Gallon (2 Gallons used)
Substrate Details:  None
Other Tank Decor:  None
Filtration Details:  Slow-Drip in/out to Broodstock System
Lighting:  7 Watt Night Light
Lighting Cycle:  24 hours then 12 on/off
Water Changes:  Constant

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types:  Rotifers/Phyto
Feeding Schedule:  3 times per day

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start:  11/11/11(#2)
Days after Hatch:  7
Date of Settlement End:  11/14/11(#2)
Description of Fry:  Single Head Stripe visible

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature:  78-80 Degrees
Size of Grow-Out Tank:  10 Gallon
Substrate Details:  None
Other Tank Decor:  None
Filtration Details:  Sponge, then HOB
Lighting:  single LED
Lighting Cycle:  12 on/off
Water Changes:  Weekly
Size at Transfer:  N/A
Age at Transfer:  N/A

Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types:  Otohime, Golden Pearls, Cyclops-eeze
Feeding Schedule:  3 times a day

Additional Information

(No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please)
Miscellaneous Information: 



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Jason Golden
http://www.clownfishsushi.com

Broodstock Spawn #1 10/16/11

 
Onyx Spawn #2 (18 DPH)

 
Onyx Spawn #2 (40 DPH)

 
Onyx Spawn #2 (63 DPH)

 
Onyx Spawn #2 (79 DPH)

 
Onyx Spawn #2 (82 DPH)

 
Onyx Spawn #2 (87 DPH)

That pretty much brings you up to speed.  The Onyx laid their 10th clutch that I've recorded yesterday, 2/2/12.  Despite my best efforts, I think they are not getting enough nutrients to produce healthy eggs.  The eggs have appeared lighter and lighter each consecutive batch until they looked like this...
 

 
Those don't look viable to me.  I'm currently only growing out the 2nd spawn and am anxious to collect another batch.  I'll monitor the development of these eggs but I think I need to change the feeding schedule and content.  I want to see rich orange eggs, not white, transparent and inconsistent.
 
Anyone have experience with light eggs like this?  What were the solutions?

Onyx Spawn #2 hit the 3 month mark this week. I took a few updated pics but the camera isn't doing justice to how great these beauties are developing.

Onyx Spawn #2 (94 DPH)










I've decided that I will be transferring the broodstock into a more natural setting. I'm rebuilding a 24 Gallon Aquapod to be their new broodstock tank. Here are some before pics... I've got a lot of work to do!

On a side note to Onyx Spawn #10... it appears that the eggs were fertilized and they have darkened up and eyes are visible.  The whiter, solid colored eggs were removed by the parents.  They eggs are scheduled to hatch on the 10th but I am going to skip collection until I am satisifed that they entire clutch is healthier.

What are you feeding the adults?  Nutrition is probably the #1 thing that determines egg/larval viability.  Great pics and welcome to the MBI

Thanks!  Good to be here.
 
I feed my broodstock a pretty diverse selection.  They get prime reef flakes whenever I pass by the tank (3-4 small feedings a day) and at least 2 feedings of a frozen food every day.  I alternate spirulina brine, mysis, rod's food, emerald entree, marine cusine, krill, etc...  Flakes get a selcon supplement about twice a week.  All in all, about 5-6 small feedings.
 
This particular pair is the most finicky I've ever had.  They will eat a few flakes then don't seem interested.  They'll have a bite of mysis then let the rest float by.  My other broodstock feed much more aggresively so I know something isn't right.  I risk losing a finger if I leave it in my picasso broodstock's tank... but my onyx can't get coaxed out of the pot.
 
I'm going to attempt soaking food in garlic and also adding some frozen cyclopseeze daily.
 
I'm also going to be moving this pair into a new system.  The 40 gallon breeder they are in is a few years old and the sump might be suffering from old tank syndrom.  I'm not confident that the water quality is where I want it to be.  I'm setting up a 24 aquapod that I had lying around and I'm going to build a little nano-reef for them complete with some BTA's, frogspawn and other goodies.  I hope the change of environment will inspire a healthier appetite.

Maybe some live food if you can swing it?  Tangerine pods or live mysid shrimp maybe?  Good luck! Perhaps the smaller aquapod will make them feel more at home.  
 
 

Onyx Spawn #2 (97 DPH)
 

 

Beautiful babies!
If you add some Naturose(astaxanthin) to their feed, those eggs will be more orange. Ocean Nutrition formula one works really well as either frozen or pelleted food.  Rods has lots of astaxanthin as well.  Any food that is old, however, may still look orange to the eye, but the astaxanthin may have oxidized.  You may want to purchase some fresh food if that is the case.

Thanks!  I'll give those ideas a shot.

The Onyx Broodstock moved into their new home today and they couldn't look happier.  I'm hoping to be collecting healthy spawns from them again in March.

The 24 Gallon Aquapod cleaned up nicely.  I managed to knock the bottom out of a flower pot that had been curing in their sump and after a week of cycling with existing rock I felt confident that the tank was ready for livestock.  With the improved current and lighting in the Aquapod (14k 150w metal halide)I should be able to sustain some BTAs so I picked up two green ones with light pink tips for $15 each at my LFS.  The BTAs immediately wedged themselves into the aquascaping and I hope to get some nice pics of them in a few days.  The clowns took notice but are significantly larger than the BTAs for the time being.
 
Before

 
After