Calling All Reefers - Need Your Help!

[Kris]

Ok, as of yesterday I noticed that my clown pair became parents. See below..

So, here are my questions -

1 - How long does it take for them to hatch?

2 - How the heck do I get the locline off the return? Any easy ways? My plan was to origionally swap out the return with a new one and move the old return parts over to the grow out tank. However since I am banned from all stores except one, and that one does have the bulkhead, but its not threaded on the inside (makes my life hard) this would be more work than I want.

3 - My plan was to move the eggs, parents and anemone over to a 10 gallon with only live rock and some macro for hiding places for the babies. What do you all think of this? I talked to another person and he said that I should just move the eggs over and that is all. Otherwise the parents might eat the babies? Not that I don't beleive him, I would like opinions on this.

4 - If I do just the eggs in a 10 gallon, I am going to be using only air pump circulation. Is this enough? Do I need more? If I do the whole family move to the 10 gallon, I will need much stronger circulation to keep the fish, babies and anemone happy. I am affraid the anemone will eat the babies tho so that might not be a good idea. Suggestions?

5 - I picked up some rotifers to start making the culture. Any other food suggestions?

6 - How fast do these guys grow?

7 - Please don't tell me about Joyce Wilkersons Book on Clownfish. I don't have it, I don't have the green to buy it and I don't have the time



Thank you all for your support.

 

[Anonymous]

sorry, but I have never been successful in raising any of my clown spawns but I can tell you what I know
1) a long week say 7 - 9 days till hatch they tend to hatch at night
2) the male will fan the eggs so if you move them without the clowns you need something to mimic this water motion
3) the clowns MAY eat the babies??????I would just move the eggs - the clowns will spawn again and your tank idea is perfect
4) The babies are very small, when I was trying to rear them the common idea was to drip green water and rotifers into the tank and changing water frequently to keep polution down, they will have a yolk sac but will need to feed soon after hatch or they won't make it
5) good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6) oh yea congrates - great job in getting this far!!

 

[sadielynn]

congratulations
I cant help you on the feeding care ect
but I can say JOB WELL DONE :!:
:cool1:

 

[Kris]

Thank you all for your support. It is great

I am in the process of getting the rotifers started and the baby tank setup and going. The only hard part in this whole thing is some how getting the darned return loc line OFF so I can move the eggs. It is very tricky because it is near impossible. I can't take water out of the tank until that is done because if I do, the water level will fall below the return and the eggs will be in air for a bit. Not good I don't think

Anyways, pics to come.

 

[dragon79]

that's bad ass, congrats man!! i hope you get some to live if not all. for more advice on hatching them, seek out the people who raise them, like the people at reef central. They should have some great advice on upping your chances of survival. Keep us posted!!

 

[Master Er]

I havent done anything like that before but considering the fact that it is quite difficult to take out the lockline, why dont you just fashion out a small cage (fine mesh of some sort) and enclose the eggs a day or two before they hatch, provided you know kow long it would take. And since you'll need the parents to fan the eggs. I'm just guessing, i'm not really sure but based on the situation, thats what I would probably do unless there is something better which i'm sure there is. Good job in raising your livestock. Thats amazing!!!

 

[sadielynn]

what about
www.wetwebmedia.com
they answered my questions pretty quickly

 

[djconn]

Yeah, I like the fine mesh cage idea but I'm also have no experiece with raising clowns. Best of luck and keep us updated.

 

[Kris]

Yeah, I am going to try a method I read about on RC. They say that the fry are attracted to light. They talked about shining a flashlight in the tank and using a bowl to scoop them out after they hatch.

I will try that method and see how it works. I will post some tank pics in a few.

 

[Master Er]

I read that somewhere too but I think you will have to be on guard to prevent them from being sucked by the filtration system, the current in the ocean is stagnant (everywhere) compared to a filter. Make it work.

 

[incysor]

These threads might have some helpful info...If it's not what you're looking for you can always PM/email Karen, and she'll be happy to give you some info.
By the way, how'd you get banned from all the stores but one in your area? :lol:

B

http://marshreef.com/modules.php?name=F ... pic&t=7016

http://marshreef.com/modules.php?name=F ... pic&t=7788

 

[Kris]

Thank you for that. I will sign up and post a bit. I will need all the help I can get at this point because it appears I have no rotifers.

Eeek.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Good luck with the eggs Kris. From what I understand the first few batches tend to get eaten by the parents till they figure out they're not supposed to eat them.

 

[Kris]

Thanks SM. I don't know if I will have any luck tho. Still no rotifers, unless I am really blind? Who knows, I will give it a try.

Here are some new pics of the eggs, rotifer tank and grow out tank (if it gets that far).

I was wandering around the grocery store trying to make sure I remembered everything when I went by this. I needed something to scoop the rotifers that would not let them all slip out but would let the water go through. I figured this would be perfect. I could be wrong tho. It was only 2 bux.

Oh, she thought she was going on a trip and decided to get in the box. I tried to stuff her in there but she would not fit. She loves the camera and look at that cute wet nose! She also has a thing for boxes.

 

[sadielynn]

aww
I wonder up on this site
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/arc ... t-723.html
maybe this will help ?

 

[incysor]

So where did you puchase your plankton and rotifer cultures from?

Can you take pics of your setup for these?

B

 

[Kris]

The pic of the rotifer tank is up there. It is the 2.5 gallon tank. At first I thought I did not have any rotifers. But it appears I do have a few specs "swimming" around. Hopefully will have more tonight because I think the babies will be hatching tonight as well.

I purchased the rotifers from a lfs as well as the instant algae. This is what he used to raise his cultures.

 

[incysor]

Sorry, I missed the text at the top of the pics describing exactly what I was asking about. :lol:

B

 

[Kris]

Wanted to give everyone an update -

Every night for the past 4 days I have been up till around 2:30/3:00ish waiting for the babies to hatch. Well, that night was today. Unfortunately I was not awake and my device to capture them safely failed. I don't know where larva swim when they hatch, but it sure as heck is not DOWN. Anyways, they are all gone. I wish I kept myself awake but I could not. I was passing out.

Here is what I have learned..

1 - Rotifers take a damn long time to "make". Not something that is ready instantly.
2 - Make sure your fishies lay eggs on something you can take OUT of the tank.
3 - Clownfish larva, when ready to hatch is 95% CLEAR. Looks like everything that you used to see, is almost gone.
4 - It's nerve racking and time consuming.
5 - It is fun.


Anyways though, with death there is life. My rose anemone split last night as well. So all is not lost. Since my clowns spawned once (and I have not scared them with my prescense) they should spawn again.


This time - I WILL BE READY!