Breeding Journal DataSheet
This first post should be updated regularly to include new information as events take place or changes are made to your system
General Species: Hymenocera elegans
Social Structure: Pair
Size of Individuals: ~2 inches
Age of Individuals: Unknown
Date added to Tank: 1-25-2014
Broodstock Tank Details Size of Tank: Breeder box (8 x 4 x 4 inches) in a 40 gallon breeder tank
Substrate Details: Nothing other than a PVC pipe
Filtration Details: Live rock, live sand, protein skimmer, bioballs
Water Changes: Infrequent and random
Water Temperature: ~80 F
Lighting: Fluorescent strip light
Lighting Cycle: 6AM to 9PM
Other Tank Inhabitants: None in the breeder box
Broodstock Feeding Details Food Types: Asterina starfish, chocolate chip starfish
Feeding Schedule: As needed
Spawning Details Date of First Spawn: 1-27-2014 (or possibly 1-26-2014)
Spawn Time of Day: Unknown, not witnessed, assumed after lights out
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: 2-14-2014 or 2-15-2014
Courtship Details: None noted or witnessed
Egg Size: Not measured, but estimate ~1mm
Egg Color: Brown at first
Egg Count: hundreds, but not counted
Hatch Details Hatch Date: 1-25-2014; 2-13-2014
Hatch Time of Day: After lights out
# Days after Spawn: ~18
Larvae Description: Tan/brown, attracted to light, S-shaped
Larval Tank Details Temperature: ~80F
Size of Larval Tank: inverted 3L bottle currently
Substrate Details: None
Other Tank Decor: Rigid airline tubing
Filtration Details: Nothing other than live phyto
Lighting: Fluorescent strip light
Lighting Cycle: 6AM to 9PM
Water Changes: Every other day
Larval Feeding Details Food Types: Rotifers, Apocyclops, nhbbs
Feeding Schedule: constant
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: This pair has been in captivity for about 6 months, IIRC.
Some info I found:
Chen-Cheng Cheng, Meng-Hua Yen, Yan-Chin Chen and
To develop aquaculture techniques of
Hymenocera picta, the effects of different types of diets, feeding concentrations, starvation, temperatures and salinities on the growth and survival were investigated. The result showed that 10 dph (days posthatch) larvae feeding with the nauplii of Artemia spp. at 2 and 4/ml of feeding had better survival rate and growth. About the delay of feeding, better survival rate and growth would be obtained under feeding within 2 dph. The survival rate was better in which salinity was at 24, 29, 34 and 39 psu. In addition, a better survival rate was obtained in which were raised during the water temperature of 24 ~ 30 ℃, but better growth was obtained at 30 ℃. Overall, the shrimp would have better survival rate and growth under conditions of 30 ℃, 24 ~ 34 psu, and feeding with the nauplii of Artemia spp. at 2 ~ 4/ml within 2 dph.
COMMERCIAL CULTURE OF THE HARLEQUIN SHRIMP
Hymenocera picta AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL MARINE SHRIMPS
Syd Kraul
Harlequin shrimp are fairly rare in Hawaii and therefore fetch a good price ($7-10 each) to the diver or aquaculturist. After shipping, retail price can be as much as $50 or more per shrimp. Limits to commercial production are primarily market demand. With over 1,000 shrimp in stock, our distributor could only sell more than 100 shrimp per month, primarily in Asia. This market might be expanded to other areas, but it doesnt seem likely that this single species would support a business. There are also rumors that mass quantities of similar shrimp are available from Central America and Africa at greatly reduced prices.
Adult Harlequin Shrimp are long lived and docile, and spawn every 3 weeks at 25 degrees Celsius. Females produce 200-5,000 eggs per spawn, attaching them to their pleopods (abdominal plates) for incubation. The eggs, about 0.8 by 0.6mm, are red when first deposited. A few days before the female molts, the previous batch of eggs hatches out to begin the planktonic larval phase. Newly hatched larvae are 0.64mm wide and O.43mm high at the cephalothorax (head and chest), and 1.4mm long, in their naturally flexed posture (2.3mm stretched out straight). The first few days, these zoeae have close-set eyes, and do not require food. After the first larval molt, their eyes protrude on stalks, and they begin feeding on plankton. We provide them with rotifers, copepods, brine shrimp, and phytoplankton throughout their larval life. Rearing success is greatly improved when copepods are included in the larval diet, as is the case for all marine larvae we have raised. These larvae have relatively stringent water quality requirements, and are more difficult to raise than small damselfishes.
After 4-8 weeks, larvae are about 3mm long and 2mm wide, and have branched pleopods, indicating that they have reached their final (mysid) larval stage. They are now ready to settle out of the plankton, and metamorphose into benthic shrimp. The benthic transition appears to be an important determinant of final survival. Healthy batches of larvae will all survive and grow to adults. Unhealthy batches may metamorphose and begin feeding, but suffer heavy losses within a week or two. Although artificial feeds might improve the marketability of Harlequin shrimp, the only feed that has worked for us is live sea stars, preferably
Linckia spp. Harlequin shrimp were once proposed as “saviors of the reef” because they are able to eat the reef destroying Crown of Thorns starfish. In Kona, Crown-of-Thorns are the most readily available stars, so they are our primary feed.
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<message edited by shannpeach on Saturday, March 8, 2014 7:47 PM>