Not_Now_John
Guest
How often are you feeding the SPS rotifers?
Amphiprion ocellaris Breeding Journal
- Thread starter lattehiatus
- Start date
lattehiatus
Past President
Not_Now_John said:
Harvesting 30% of the rotifer culture daily to feed the reef. No accurate count of the culture density yet.
lattehiatus
Past President
The live rotifers were added to my existing feeding regimen:
Daily - (Mostly for fish)
Morning: Pellets OR frozen mysis/marine cuisine/cyclops/calanus
Evening: Rod's Food + Cyclopeeze
Every 2-3 Days -
RN Phyto + Oyster Feast (and before starting with live rotifers, Roti-Feast)
Sometimes Reef Chili instead of RN
The SPS reaction I'm observing could be due to the greater quantity of rotifers being fed presently compared to with Roti-Feast. With Roti-Feast, I was feeding pretty sparingly - a 6oz bottle would last me 3-4 months. Another possible factor is I now try to give the spawning clowns a mid-day feeding on the days when I have time, so there could be more nutrients overall accumulating in the system. No changes were made to the WC regimen.
Daily - (Mostly for fish)
Morning: Pellets OR frozen mysis/marine cuisine/cyclops/calanus
Evening: Rod's Food + Cyclopeeze
Every 2-3 Days -
RN Phyto + Oyster Feast (and before starting with live rotifers, Roti-Feast)
Sometimes Reef Chili instead of RN
The SPS reaction I'm observing could be due to the greater quantity of rotifers being fed presently compared to with Roti-Feast. With Roti-Feast, I was feeding pretty sparingly - a 6oz bottle would last me 3-4 months. Another possible factor is I now try to give the spawning clowns a mid-day feeding on the days when I have time, so there could be more nutrients overall accumulating in the system. No changes were made to the WC regimen.
lattehiatus
Past President
Only a cursory glance in a small container is done every day, to get a visual estimate. Every week or so I do a very rudimentary count, taking 1mL of sample water on a piece of glass and counting with a magnifying glass. So far I'm coming up with between 25 to 50 rotifers/mL. Any suggestions for increasing density?
lattehiatus
Past President
For their 4th clutch, the clowns kindly laid onto a ceramic pot that replaced the rock they previously spawned on. About a quarter of the eggs hatched on the 9th day, netting roughly 40 to 50 larvae.
8 DPH:
I found 12 mortalities over the first six days, none in the last two. Feeding TDO A several times a day, starting at 5 DPH. Does anyone know if there is concern with overfeeding TDO, similar to overfeeding NHBBS?
Frankly at this point I'm still not positive on the ID of the parents, whether they are perculas or ocellaris, so I'm assuming the amount of time it takes their children to develop stripes will be an indicator.
8 DPH:
I found 12 mortalities over the first six days, none in the last two. Feeding TDO A several times a day, starting at 5 DPH. Does anyone know if there is concern with overfeeding TDO, similar to overfeeding NHBBS?
Frankly at this point I'm still not positive on the ID of the parents, whether they are perculas or ocellaris, so I'm assuming the amount of time it takes their children to develop stripes will be an indicator.
jellygeee
Guest
Wow, great job, David.
Newbie question: Do you have to move the eggs out from the parents before they hatched? My pair of clowns always lay eggs and I actually see the eggs morph into larvae's (with eyes & tails). After a couple of days, they dissapear. I was thinking that either they hatch and become fish food, or the parents consume them. Not sure which is one correct?
Rudy
Newbie question: Do you have to move the eggs out from the parents before they hatched? My pair of clowns always lay eggs and I actually see the eggs morph into larvae's (with eyes & tails). After a couple of days, they dissapear. I was thinking that either they hatch and become fish food, or the parents consume them. Not sure which is one correct?
Rudy
lattehiatus
Past President
aqua-nut - Most clowns are fantastic parents until the eggs hatch!
jellygeee - About how many days after being laid do the eggs disappear? I'm not an expert (and perhaps one can chime in!), but eggs typically begin developing eyes around Day 6. Hatching generally occurs between Day 7 to Day 12, mostly depending on temperature (higher temp = faster hatch). It's possible that the eggs hatched and became tank food, or that your pair destroyed the clutch. My pair has consumed unhatched eggs between 10 to 13 days old. You could try looking for larvae swimming around about an hour or two after lights out, an evening or two after you see eyes appear in the eggs - turn the pumps down, and try to minimize ambient light.
bookfish - Thanks for the tip! About 30 minutes after feeding TDO, I vacuum the bottom. On a related note, I fed some NHBBS yesterday, and today the larvae seem to be disinterested in foods that don't wriggle. :~
jellygeee - About how many days after being laid do the eggs disappear? I'm not an expert (and perhaps one can chime in!), but eggs typically begin developing eyes around Day 6. Hatching generally occurs between Day 7 to Day 12, mostly depending on temperature (higher temp = faster hatch). It's possible that the eggs hatched and became tank food, or that your pair destroyed the clutch. My pair has consumed unhatched eggs between 10 to 13 days old. You could try looking for larvae swimming around about an hour or two after lights out, an evening or two after you see eyes appear in the eggs - turn the pumps down, and try to minimize ambient light.
bookfish - Thanks for the tip! About 30 minutes after feeding TDO, I vacuum the bottom. On a related note, I fed some NHBBS yesterday, and today the larvae seem to be disinterested in foods that don't wriggle. :~
lattehiatus
Past President
Hey John, yes still feeding live rotifers for the runts and to ensure that the little ones are getting their HUFAs. Hard to believe that only 10 days ago, they were barely able to capture their own food. They grow up so fast. ::sniff:: At least I don't need to pay for their college.
Their hunting is pretty interesting to observe. Some of the larvae appear to blow a "puff" of water at their prey first, and then decide whether to strike. It looks a little similar to how lionfish hunt:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/lionfish-blast-prey-with-puffs-of-water
I get the impression the larvae are more likely to strike if the target is a live rotifer or NHBBS, while TDO and detritus are usually ignored after being puffed at.
10 DPH update: Head band is beginning to form on a few larvae, they are starting to earn their stripes.
If I raise another clutch I'll try to get to meta faster by weaning onto TDO earlier.
Their hunting is pretty interesting to observe. Some of the larvae appear to blow a "puff" of water at their prey first, and then decide whether to strike. It looks a little similar to how lionfish hunt:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/lionfish-blast-prey-with-puffs-of-water
I get the impression the larvae are more likely to strike if the target is a live rotifer or NHBBS, while TDO and detritus are usually ignored after being puffed at.
10 DPH update: Head band is beginning to form on a few larvae, they are starting to earn their stripes.
If I raise another clutch I'll try to get to meta faster by weaning onto TDO earlier.
Kensington Reefer
Supporting Member
Go David go!
lattehiatus
Past President
You guys are awesome, thanks for the support!
At 11 DPH, most of the little ones have developing front and middle stripes, and becoming poor swimmers like their parents. They are starting to accept TDO A, host the thermometer and ammonia alert badge, and a few of the larger ones are already chasing the other around.
A few images from yesterday (10 DPH):
Meta commencing, they are cute little buggers
This one was swimming upside down at the top of the waterline in the corner for a couple days. I was convinced he/it was done for, but noticed he was still eating. He appears to have re-oriented himself, since I no longer see any upside-down fish and there have been no mortalities. Anyone here ever tried to eat while hanging upside-down?
At 11 DPH, most of the little ones have developing front and middle stripes, and becoming poor swimmers like their parents. They are starting to accept TDO A, host the thermometer and ammonia alert badge, and a few of the larger ones are already chasing the other around.
A few images from yesterday (10 DPH):
Meta commencing, they are cute little buggers
This one was swimming upside down at the top of the waterline in the corner for a couple days. I was convinced he/it was done for, but noticed he was still eating. He appears to have re-oriented himself, since I no longer see any upside-down fish and there have been no mortalities. Anyone here ever tried to eat while hanging upside-down?
Kensington Reefer
Supporting Member
Dude that's Killer!!
I'm setting up a dedicated tank for them right now
I'm setting up a dedicated tank for them right now
