Breeding Journal, Species: [Nemateleotris magnifica]

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JNeff
  • Total Posts : 70
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  • Joined: 3/20/2015
  • Location: Florence, KY, US
Breeding Journal, Species: [Nemateleotris magnifica] - Monday, December 7, 2015 11:36 PM
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:  Nemateleotris magnifica
Social Structure:  Pair
Size of Individuals:  2"-2.5"
Age of Individuals:  Unknown
Date added to Tank:  Purchased the larger fish in spring 2014 the smaller one was added October 2015.

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  10 Gallon
Substrate Details:  None
Filtration Details: 10 gallon tank is plumbed into large (about 100 gallons) broodstock system with attached wet dry, skimmer, and auto top off
Water Changes:  50-60 gallon large water change once monthly (system also gets new water as I remove water to fill hatch tanks throughout each month)
Water Temperature:  81F
Lighting:  10K and 420nm LED strips above tanks
Lighting Cycle: 12 hours on 12 hours off                  
Other Tank Inhabitants:  they are the only fish in this tank

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Hikari marine S pellet, frozen mysis
Feeding Schedule:  1-2 times daily to satiation

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn: 12/7/2015                  
Spawn Time of Day:  night or early morning
Dates of Consecutive Spawns: this was their first spawn                  
Courtship Details:  Larger fish "herds" smaller one with an open mouth (see videos).  Both fish reside in same piece of 1" PVC.  The days leading up to spawning the smaller fish does not leave the PVC (don't yet know the sexes, but I suspect it is the male).  After spawning both fish will only come out briefly to eat. 
Egg Size:  Tiny, roughly 1mm
Egg Color:  off white/cream colored on day of spawn
Egg Count:  many hundreds

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


Larval Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Larval Tank: 
Substrate Details: 
Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes: 

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types: 
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: 
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:  I have been trying to pair firefish for a long while now.  I initially purchased 4 fish and had them all in a 125 gallon tank together.  They loosely schooled, but fought constantly and no pairs formed.  Two of the four fish died within weeks.  The remaining two fish were transferred into separate 10 gallon tanks.  I attempted to pair these two fish 3 times.  Each time the larger of the two fish would immediately chase and shred the fins of the smaller fish.  The smaller fish would attempt to run and hide.  I waited about 4 months and then purchased a 1.5" juvinile.  This fish was quarantined a month and then put into the 10 gallon with the larger firefish.  They immediately swam close together.  There was no fighting or chasing.  The larger fish would behave in a manner I can only describe as "herding" the smaller fish around the tank.  It would open its mouth very wide and nudge the other fish around in circles (see videos).  This never included biting, and there was never any fin damage.  The smaller fish accepted this behavior and never attempted to run.  In late October the larger fish developed a pectoral fin infection (which was treated and appeared to have abated).  I vacationed the first week of November and in my absence the fin infection returned and the fish died the day I got back.  I then placed the new smaller fish in with the other older fish I had from the original failed pairing attempt.  The two fish behaved in exactly the same manner.  The larger fish "herded" the smaller one, always swimming close together.  These two began to reside in the same piece of PVC (3" long 1" diameter with a cap on one end).  29 days after they were introduced they spawned for the first time.  



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JNeff
  • Total Posts : 70
  • Reward points : 136
  • Joined: 3/20/2015
  • Location: Florence, KY, US
Re: Breeding Journal, Species: [Nemateleotris magnifica] - Monday, December 7, 2015 11:39 PM