Breeding Journal, Species: [Pterapogon kauderni ], tankA

General
Species:  Pterapogon kauderni (captive bred)
Social Structure:  Pair
Size of Individuals:  Approx 1.25-1.5" body size, not including finnage
Age of Individuals:  Estimate 9 months
Date added to Tank:  11/2012

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  20g High, plumbed to central system containing approx 250g
Substrate Details:  bare
Filtration Details:  Central sump: 75g Rubbermaid tub with BM NAC9 Skimmer, 10g submerged bioballs, live rock, carbon in mesh bag
Water Changes:  ~25% (80g) monthly
Water Temperature:  80F
Lighting:  Ecoxotic Stunner directly over tanks, dual 4' shop light for indirect lighting
Lighting Cycle:  1 hour shop light, 12 hours shoplight+Stunner, 1 hour shop light (14 hours total)
Other Tank Inhabitants:  astrea snails, hermit crabs

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Hikari frozen mysis, Hikari frozen brine shrimp (regular and algae enriched), PE Mysis, Rod's Food blend
Feeding Schedule:  Once daily, as much as they will eat

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  Jan 6 2013
Spawn Time of Day:  noon
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: 
01/06/13 02/11/13 04/04/13
Courtship Details:  Bodies aligned in parallel, quivering. They make several passes, side by side, then separate, and repeat. Spawning can last for hours.
Egg Size:  roughly 3mm
Egg Color:  clear with whitish dot
Egg Count:   roughly 30

Hatch Details
Hatch Date: 
Hatch Time of Day: 
# Days after Spawn: 
Larvae Description:   
Consecutive Hatch Dates:     


Larval Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Larval Tank: 
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Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
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Larval Feeding Details
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Feeding Schedule: 

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: 
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Size at Transfer: 
Age at Transfer: 

Grow-Out Feeding Details
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Feeding Schedule: 

Additional Information

(No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please)
Miscellaneous Information: Carbon reactor and Biopellet reactor added to filtration system at the beginning of March, 2013, to help with Nitrates/Phosphate (20ppm/.25ppm, respectively)



You will be required to provide photographic or video evidence in this thread of each event submitted for the MBI Program.
If your thread does not contain these photos the MBI Committee will not be able to approve your reports. PHOTOS AND VIDEO S MUST BE PLACED IN ADDITIONAL POSTS, NEVER IN THE FIRST POST IN A JOURNAL.

The male in this pair hasn't held the eggs for more than a few hours past spawn in the three spawns I've witnessed. He is still rather small and can't keep many eggs in his mouth. Many of the eggs just fall to the bottom, and the female eats the rest.
 
Here's a vid of the female releasing eggs and the male taking some into his mouth:

Since the video was shot I've added a fake plastic plant to the tank, thinking that part of the reason for the lack of success was lack of hiding places & a feeling of security. The plant has been in their for the past 2 spawns but no change yet in the length of time that the male holds the eggs.

In the initial journal entry I had listed:
Date added to Tank:  10/2012
This was a bit inaccurate. I purchased the fish in 10/2012 as a group of juveniles, and had six of them in a 40g tank while they grew and paired off. These two paired off after one month (in 11/2012), and were then moved to their current 20g tank. They were then together in the 20g tank for 2 months before their first spawn on 1/6/2013.
 
I have edited the initial journal entry to reflect a Date added to Tank of 11/2012, which more accurately lists the date they were moved to their own tank prior to spawning.