Breeding Journal DataSheet
General Species: Pterapogon kauderni (wild caught)
Social Structure: Proven pair
Size of Individuals: 1.25" body length not including finnage. Still fairly small.
Age of Individuals: Probably hatched around early spring 2011.
Date added to Tank: Added to broodstock system 08/02/12.
Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: 20 gallons plumbed to 120 gallon broodstock system.
Substrate Details: Fine dusting of sand.
Filtration Details: 200 micron filter sock, 2 gallons bioballs, EuroReef RS-180 skimmer.
Water Changes: Weekly 40%. Try to keep nitrate <25 ppm, but it is often around 40 ppm.
Water Temperature: 80F
Lighting: T8 fluorescent
Lighting Cycle: 14 hours light, 10 hours dark
Other Tank Inhabitants: Breeding pair of Orchid Dottybacks
Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: Mainly frozen homemade mash, some PE Mysis, and some SFB Brine Shrimp.
Feeding Schedule: 3x per day
Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: Bred for previous owner half a dozen or so times. Small juveniles swimming around reef tank when I bought the pair.
Spawn Time of Day: Afternoon
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: 08/10/12. Male eating again 08/12.
08/29/12. Male eating again 09/01. Grr.
* I was away from the fish room for the winter. *
03/27/13.
04/27/13.
05/30/13. Swallowed 06/03.
06/15/13.
Courtship Details: Not a flirty pair unless close to spawning. Female becomes obviously gravid within a few days of spawning. When close to spawning, they stick very close to each other - almost touching. Then the female starts vibrating next to male for several seconds with their tail fins touching/intertwined, then swims backwards around his tail to his other side, and vibrates on that side. Male looks like he is stretching his jaw and flaring the lower part of his gills. They won't be interested in food when they are ready to spawn. As the eggs are laid they stick to the female's vent in a bundle and the male does "drive-by" fertilizations. When the spawning is over the male gulps the eggs into his mouth in one big gulp.
Egg Size: 2 - 2.2 mm
Egg Color: Pinkish orange.
Egg Count: Not observed.
Hatch Details Hatch Date: 04/19/13. 20 fully developed fry stripped from the male.
Hatch Time of Day: Not observed - in male's mouth.
# Days after Spawn: Stripped 24 days after spawn.
Larvae Description: 1/4" long look-a-likes of the adults
Consecutive Hatch Dates: 05/19/13. 36 fry stripped.
Larval Tank Details Temperature: 80F
Size of Larval Tank: 5-gallons half filled.
Substrate Details: None
Other Tank Decor: Fake hairgrass plant.
Filtration Details: None.
Lighting: Ambient from other tanks.
Lighting Cycle: 14 on, 10 off.
Water Changes: TBD
Larval Feeding Details Food Types: NHBBS, frozen Cyclpeeze, TDO B1.
Feeding Schedule: 3-5x per day.
Metamorphosis/Settlement Date of Settlement Start: Settlement occurs in male's mouth.
Days after Hatch: Not observed.
Date of Settlement End: Settlement occurs in male's mouth. Stripped from male on 04/19/13.
Description of Fry: Miniature version of parents. White spots on fins and black spots on body not developed, but stripes are already present.
Grow-Out Tank Details Temperature: 80F
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 5 or 10-gallon stand alone or 10, 15, or 20-gallon tank plumbed into 80-gallon growout system.
Substrate Details: None.
Other Tank Decor: None.
Filtration Details: Central sump. Filter sock, bioballs, Vertex IN-250 skimmer.
Lighting: Some tanks are ambient, some have a clip on 13 watt compact fluorescent.
Lighting Cycle: 14 on, 10 off.
Water Changes: 50% wice weekly on stand alone tanks, and bi-weekly on growout system.
Size at Transfer: 1/2"
Age at Transfer: 30-40 days.
Grow-Out Feeding Details Food Types: TDO B1
Feeding Schedule: 4x per day via auto feeder.
Additional Information This pair was bought from a fellow hobbyist where the male was a successful incubator. The reef tank the pair were housed in had a couple dozen newborn Banggai swimming around.
<message edited by EasterEggs on Friday, July 5, 2013 8:09 PM>