Breeding Journal, Species: [Synchiropus Picturatus]

General
Species:   Synchiropus  Picturatus
Social Structure:  Pair
Size of Individuals:  1.75 - 2 inches
Age of Individuals:   Unknown
Date added to Tank:  Approx June 2012

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  W 16" x  D 12" x H 17"   56.63 liters   12.46 UK Gallons    14.96 US Gallons
Substrate Details:  Live rock
Filtration Details:   Live rock, Skimmer
Water Changes:   10% Weekly
Water Temperature:  25 C
Lighting: 24w  T5s
Lighting Cycle:  12 Hours
Other Tank Inhabitants:  XXL turbo snail

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Selection of live and frozen foods
Feeding Schedule:  3-4 times a day

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  First witnessed 24-1-13
Spawn Time of Day:   Around 9pm
Dates of Consecutive Spawns:  24-1-13 onward, pretty much nightly although I do not collect every spawn. But those I have collected,   24-1-13.  21-2-13.  25-2-13.  2-3-13.  4-3-13. 7-3-13.  9-3-13.  14-3-13.  17-3-13.  3-4-13.
Courtship Details:  Some displaying from male who will chase the female, some dancing followed by a slow rise to the surface where the spawn event occurs. The fish then retire to their sleeping places.
Egg Size:  Small, unmeasured but less than 1 mm
Egg Color:  clear
Egg Count:  uncounted but estimate between 50 and 200

Hatch Details
Hatch Date:  25-1-13.  22-2-13.  26-2-13.  3-3-13.  5-3-13. 8-3-13.  10-3-13.  15-3-13.  18-3-13.  4-4-13.
Hatch Time of Day:  The eggs hatch in the 12- 14 hours after the spawn, they resemble an egg with a tail.
# Days after Spawn:  less than 1
Larvae Description:    between spawn and 4 days they develop from pro larvae to larvae on day 4 they have an obvious mouth and the eye is developed
Consecutive Hatch Dates: 25-1-13.  22-2-13.  26-2-13.  3-3-13.  5-3-13. 8-3-13.  10-3-13.  15-3-13.  18-3-13.  4-4-13.


Larval Tank Details
Temperature:  26c
Size of Larval Tank:  2 liter food safe containers
Substrate Details:  bare
Other Tank Decor:  none
Filtration Details:  air only
Lighting:  small LED
Lighting Cycle:  LED left on 24  hours a day
Water Changes:  I have been doing 20% a day sometimes I have had to do as much as 50% as the S strain rotifers can get out of control quickly

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types:  S rotifers, and now trialing dry feed GP and Otohime
Feeding Schedule:  Rotifer additions and subtractions daily

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: 



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The pair when I first collected them from the LFS


Spawning rise

 
 
 

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What frozen foods do you have these guys on? Did you do anything special/in particular to wean them onto those foods?  What live foods are you offering, or is it just various pods (or are they eating live brine, mysis, etc?)  These are my favorite Synchiropus species so I am wishing you tons of luck (and patience!)

Thank you.
They eat frozen mysis, spirulina enriched brine and oyster eggs when I can get them. Live foods are Tigriopus and Tangerine pods and sometimes live brine shrimp.
I was surprised this pair started spawning as they are both quite small.
 
I always keep them in a small section of my sump about 10 x 12 x 10 until I know they are eating frozen. I feed them a mix of live and frozen whilst they are in there and then decrease the live until they are just eating frozen.

Following on from over 30 attempts at Mandarins on S rotifers all which have ended at 7 DPH or less, I started a dry feed experiment. I originally tried Otohime A1 which is in the size range 75-150um. All the fish were lost at days 5 and 6 and under the scope it was hard to discern any full gut.
I then switched to GP (golden pearls) in a trial where I lost all the fish 10 hours after feeding, however under the microscope postmortem the stomachs looked to be full.
details here   http://www.mbisite.org/Forums/tm.aspx?m=81351
Pictures below shows gut on fish before feed and on dead larvae.
 

 

 


I believe the issue is pollution and so I have built a little flow through system specially for this project. Details can be seen here
http://www.mbisite.org/Fo...1533&mpage=1#81533
 
The first trial batch are due to start feeding this evening  7-4-2013 with another batch that will be ready to start feeding on Tuesday 9-4-2013.
The first batch are Picturatus and the second is a mix of Picturatus and Splendidus (Red)

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Good luck!

Don't let fear and common sense stop you! =]

Thank you EasterEggs, they went in at 19.00 and I see some of them moving. That does not mean they are eating as they can live a bit longer without food. But at least the water must be better than it was in the first trial. I only had 14 larvae from the spawn and the one due for feeding on Tuesday seems to have quite a few more.
I will pull one tomorrow if they are still alive and put it under the scope.