Ok lets try to have babies!

[Barelycuda]

If you are going to try to raise the baby clowns I would suggest the clownfishes book by joyce wilkerson. It is written specifically for breeding & raising clownfishes. Try to note the day the clowns lay the eggs. The eggs will hatch on the 7th or 8th day depending on the temp of the water. Also try to leave the eggs with the parents as long as possible, the male can tend to the eggs better than people can. I have my rotifer cultures going in two 5 gallon tanks. It is always better to have more than one rotifer culture going as they will crash ( trust me it will happen) so you have a second one to restart.

Good luck & keep asking questions.

[Hendersonracing]

oK my phto culture is going well...I think...it looks to have gotten thicker & greener...it been going since 2-12-08 I am worried about my rotifer culture...still hasn't changed color since I added the phyto to the culture....Im yet to check ammonia..so what should I do? a 50% wc? I don't see any rotifers swiming aroun d anywhere..here are a few pics of the cultures








these are now the lights Im using in my cultures & refugium!!good stuff

[hng]

Updates?

[Hendersonracing]

oK my rotifers went down hill????Im not 100% sure why...anyway I have some cysts coming from Florida farms tomorrow...Im going to give it another try..My clowns have hatched 2 times since I started and I haven't been preparred..anyway tomorrow I have all that stuff coming and a book to read!

[aquawolf]

Good luck with it Joe.

I think Hoang is curious as I am because it looks like each of us have clowns that are getting very friendly and may start spawning as well. If I can learn from your experience that would be great.

[Hendersonracing]

Ok...I'll keep everyone updated...Im starting my rotifer culture tonight from cysts(a type of egg from rotifers)

Ive been doing alot of reading trying to figure out the best way to keep the rotifers alive...Im thinking of using saltwater out of my 210 to host the rotifers & the same for the new larvae that way nothing gets shocked my a total different salinity!

[evansbr]

from the pictures I would say the Rotifers were overfed and probably crashed from that.. my feeding regimen for Rots is get a light green tint to the water and it should clear before the next feeding (I feed 2x per day). If you come back to feed again and its still green.. too much phyto. also use rigid airline w/ no airstone.. just a couple of bubbles per second. not like phyto.

[Hendersonracing]

how about temperature...with no heater its 60 degrees in the water?

[evansbr]

my 2-5 gallon rot cultures are in the basement. haven't measured the temp but safe to say in the 60's somewhere. they will still reproduce, just slower. I tried to raise it to about 80-81 to increase production and they grew quick and crashed. I like the lower temp and just get bigger cultures going.

[Hendersonracing]

thanks!

[Hendersonracing]

ok...My eggs are laid on the bottom of the overflow...they missed the tile???figure that..can I catch them with a net? they are on day 8 and very silver? I have my rotifers and holding tank ready..what should I do? someone said flasliht turn off all the pumps and they will come to the light?
another question I had the flaslight ready when the lights went off but they never hatched? does that mean mabe tomorrow or will I have to sit and wait?
Thanks Joe...this will be my 1st attempt at raising clowns...

[evansbr]

definately dont net them, the larva cant take it.. you could try to make a larval snagger. or attract them to a corner with a flashlight. and scoop them out with a cup. tank temp will dictate how long they go before hatching, and if your shining a flashlight on the eggs waiting to watch them hatch,,, they hatch after lights out.. turn off the pumps, wait like an hour and then look to see if anyone hatched. If so then use the flashlight to attract them. good luck.. you'll master it, it is addicting once you have one make it.

[Hendersonracing]

But If I wait and they hatch...Id say byebye...I have alot of fish? so try and pick them up with a cup? thats a good idea...when they hatch you think they will stay in that area? will the male percula eat them?

[evansbr]

they will be all over the tank, all the fish will eat them given half a chance(even the parents). hopefully since the eggs hatch after lights out the fish in the tank wont be too active. they will be attracted to light after hatching, so give them some to attract them, and scoop away. best thing about breeding fish is if you mess it up, there's another nest right around the corner. research "larval snaggers" on RC and here and you'll find some good ideas on a way to collect larva out of a tank and your not waiting all night with a light and a cup. good luck!!!

[Hendersonracing]

thanks Ill look into it!