Breeding Journal DataSheet
General Species: Pseudochromis fridmani. Wild-caught as juveniles.
Social Structure: Breeding pair.
Size of Individuals: Male 3" TL, female 2.75" TL. Male previously bred for me, new female.
Age of Individuals: Male was purchased Nov 2010 about 1.25" at the time, and female was purchased Feb 2012 1.75" at the time.
Date added to Tank: Female added Feb 25, 2012. Male added Mar 3, 2012.
Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: 20 gallon (24x12x16") plumbed into 160 gallon broodstock system.
Substrate Details: Fine dusting of sand. Decor includes a few pieces of 1" PVC (including one at the surface which the female likes), a 1/2" piece of PVC that only the female fits into, and a few small pieces of live rock.
Filtration Details: Central filtration via sump. 200 micron filter sock, 2 gallons bioballs, EuroReef RS-180 skimmer.
Water Changes: Bi-weekly 50%. Tap water filtered with sediment filter and carbon block (chloramines in tap water). Resulting ammonia in water is treated with ClorAm-X. Top off is RO/DI.
Water Temperature: 82F
Lighting: 14,000K LED strip.
Lighting Cycle: 14 hours light, 10 hours dark
Other Tank Inhabitants: Non-breeding pair of Percula Clownfish, a couple tiny hermit crabs. Clowns removed and swapped for breeding pair of Banggai Cardinals 08/02/12 after I noticed the Percula female was constantly harassing the Dottyback female.
Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: They mainly eat a homemade mash and TDO EP1, with PE Mysis (which isn't their favourite) a few times per week. They were fed live blackworms heavily Apr 15 to May 6. Possible spawning trigger?
Feeding Schedule: 3 times per day.
Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: May 20 or 21, 2012. Eggs gone by evening. Possibly they have spawned before and I haven't noticed.
Spawn Time of Day: I believe it is usually morning to midday.
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: May 27, 2012 afternoon. Eggs gone by May 29th.
A few poorly observed, unrecorded spawns. Appeared to all be eaten (or?) in the first couple days.
June 16, 2012. Eggs pulled June 17th. (see notes)
June 22, 2012. Eggs gone by morning of June 26th.
July 7, 2012.
Several poorly observed, unrecorded spawns. Egg mass kicked out of cave on 3rd or 4th day. Under microscope the eggs appeared to not be developing (unfertilized?).
08/23/12. First batch to hatch. Collected a few in a larvae snagger.
08/29/12. Missed hatch, info not known.
09/04/12. Observed about a dozen fertilized eggs days of hatch.
09/11/12. About 30% fertilization. First batch collected for culturing.
* I was away from the fish room for the winter, so spawns weren't recorded. *
*See 07/06/13 note below*
07/05/13. Smaller egg ball than usual.
Courtship Details: 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, as a mass they appear "salmon" in color. Before hatch two black eyes can be observed.
Egg Count: Unable to count accurately, approximately 200-400?
Hatch Details Hatch Date: Aug 27, 2012. Just a few hatched, only 10% fertilization or so. Larvae not retained.
Hatch Time of Day: Wee hours, early morning, before lights on.
# Days after Spawn: 4th night.
Larvae Description: 3 mm. Quite clear, difficult to see. Two black eyes. Shaped like carrots.
Consecutive Hatch Date: 09/01/12. Didn't observe, missed hatch.
09/07/12. Observed about a dozen fertilized eggs day of hatch.
09/15/12. Decent hatch, somewhere around 30-60% fertilization...hard to judge.
Larval Tank Details Temperature: 82F
Size of Larval Tank: 10-gallon BRT filled to 6 gallons.
Substrate Details: None, white acrylic bottom installed.
Other Tank Decor: Air stone, heater.
Filtration Details: None.
Lighting: 7 watt incandescent bulb from day 1-(tbd)
Lighting Cycle: 24 hour lighting for first 36 hours. Light goes off for the first time on the second night.
Water Changes: tbd
Larval Feeding Details Food Types: B plicatilis rotifers added at about 20/mL. Enriched with N-Rich PL Plus.
Feeding Schedule: Continuous.
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 This journal is for a newly established pair. The male was half of a spawning pair that bred for me summer and fall of 2011. Female disappeared in December 2011. New female purchased Feb 2012. The new pair accepted each other easily. New female was significantly smaller than the male.
Breeding Journal for male with his first female:
http://www.mbisite.org/Fo...0827&mpage=1#60827 LINKS: Chart showing
P fridmani hourly embryonic development:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/10/breeder NOTES: 2012: June 16th spawn date is estimated. Eggs found June 17th, and observed under microscope. Eggs appear to not be fertilized. Tumbling produces no development even though eggs are maintained for 6 days.
In July I noticed female Percula was harassing the pair keeping them contained in their PVC caves. I wondered if this was causing the fertilizatioin failure. Later it was determined the harassment was indeed causing the fertilization failure.
Aug 2nd I removed the Percula clowns and added a breeding pair of Banggai Cardinals to the Dottyback tank instead. This solved the fertilization problems, although it took 6 spawns (6 weeks) for the male to begin fertilizing more than just a few eggs. Even the 6th spawn was only 40-60% fertilization.
2013: Mid-June the female developed two growths or cysts on her chin/jaw. She continued to feed just fine, and the growths went away after a few weeks.
http://www.mbisite.org/Forums/tm.aspx?m=83916 07/05 - The pair final have a spawn after a 2 month hiatus. Almost all of the fish in the breeding room quit spawning when I ran out of homemade mash and fed only store bought mysis, plankton, and brine shrimp for about 3 weeks.
<message edited by EasterEggs on Saturday, July 6, 2013 9:49 AM>