Picasso and Rod's Onyx eggs

[gioNVA]

Figured I'd start a thread about them. I also laid a clay pot/plate where they last laid eggs but they moved up and still laid on the overflow. This is their second batch of eggs but the male looks like he's been eating the eggs. I think there were at least 150 eggs at first but here's what is left:

 

[ReeferMan]

I want dibs on the first pair!

[dbartco]

come on gio, lets cover that spot with tile, i want to raise them!

[Mando77]

I to would like a pair,

[gioNVA]

LOL...I am going to cover that whole overflow with tiles

[Gadgets]

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Almon]

From what I understnad, it's not uncommon for newly spawning pairs to eat the eggs for the first few hatches. It's probably because the eggs weren't viable and were not going to hatch.

 

Nutrition of the spawning pair is very important. We've found that feeding a frozen homemade mix of fresh seafood is very helpful for getting healthy eggs and a greater number of eggs. What do you feed this pair?

[dbartco]

if you want to try and get a few when they hatch let me know.

[gioNVA]

They get a mix of mysis and rod's food every other day. The other days I alternate between formula 1,2, or prime flakes. Someone mentioned more feeding. I only feed once a day. Maybe I'll add another feeding session.

[gmubeach]

They are very pretty clownfish!

[cabrego]

Nice pair! I agree with Almon, broodstock conditioning is a big factor to consider. It is typical for the first few clutches to be sparse or come up missing but the parents will eventually become good parents. It sounds like you have the nutrition in check with Rod's frozen food, I have found it to be very high quality and my pair of percs love it. With respect to feeding you should feed your clowns as much as your water quality can handle. I usually feed my pair 2 times a day plus frozen every other day and during the week of spawning I will feed frozen food every day.

 

good luck keep us posted!

[BrendanG]

Gorgeous Pair, and best of luck with the raising of fry!

 

I believe there was a very informative article on broodstock conditioning written by that guy on RC with the 35 year old reef, (didn't he guest speak at a WAMAS function recently???) about the importance of incorporating fish oil in the diet of captive fish, and how its essentially missing from our inhabitants diets. Think he simply added the oil to the food, let it soak overnight for max absorption, and fed to his fish.

 

I actually have a client who has begun doing the same thing, and has noticed a significant amount of "healthy" weight gain, and increased activity...Most notably, His tangs though very healthy weight wise, are beginning to resemble wild stock, in terms of girth ect, since the addition of fish oil to their primary flake and pellet diet.

 

 

 

Please keep us informed as to the Pair's Progress!!!

You have all the support and expertise you need to make it work...

[gioNVA]

So I've been feeding heavily because of these guys. I have also been feeding them frozen Rods food every day now and soaking whatever I feed the tank in Selcon. They laid another batch last night and this is the largest one so far. They still laid it on the overflow since I didn't get a chance to buy more tiles.

 

I took a peak at the eggs this morning and the clowns have left the hatch for the anemone. Is this normal behavior for when the lights go out? Also, will the gigantea do any harm to the eggs if it touches them?

[cabrego]

In my experience (which is only a few months) the female generally leaves the clutch more often than the male. But it is common for them to be gone for short periods of time. If the male is not tending to the eggs most of the time, I would suspect something is not right with my clutch/pair. In my case the male never leaves the clutch for longer than 30 seconds (and probably closer to 20) I believe this holds true when the lights are out, but I have not closely watched. If they are tending to the eggs normally when the lights are on I would not be as worried...

 

 

I can't say if the anemone would harm the eggs, but I doubt it...Do you have rots?

[gioNVA]

I don't have rots but will be collecting the hatch for someone else to grow.

[Almon]

I don't have rots but will be collecting the hatch for someone else to grow.

I have rotifers and algae paste if you want to try yourself.

 

I know dbartco would love to raise them. So would I.

 

They hatch 15-30 minutes after lights out on the 8th or 9th day. Turn the pumps off at lights out and then begin collecting them with a specimen container after 15-30 minutes. I can help you to collect them one evening at lights out.

[gioNVA]

Thanks! We'll see how this batch goes. I will either get them to Doug and/or Justin. I think you're name is in the mix somehow . I'll keep you guys posted as we get closer to the 8th day.

[ctenophore]

Thanks! We'll see how this batch goes. I will either get them to Doug and/or Justin. I think you're name is in the mix somehow . I'll keep you guys posted as we get closer to the 8th day.

They'd go to Almon or Doug first, I raise them after they're big enough to eat non-live food.

[gioNVA]

Well...lost the hatch again. They made it through 5 days this time. The eggs looked healthy last night and I think something else got to them. The male had been tending to the eggs a lot this time. Will asterina starfish or snails eat fish eggs? Also, I've been feeding heavily and I think my acros are starting to lose some color. I want to move these to a different tank possibly tied to the same system but afraid that disturbing the clownfish often causes them not to lay eggs for a while.

[bambam]

ahhh i was hoping to get a couple at the meeting. sorry

[ctenophore]

Well...lost the hatch again. They made it through 5 days this time. The eggs looked healthy last night and I think something else got to them. The male had been tending to the eggs a lot this time. Will asterina starfish or snails eat fish eggs? Also, I've been feeding heavily and I think my acros are starting to lose some color. I want to move these to a different tank possibly tied to the same system but afraid that disturbing the clownfish often causes them not to lay eggs for a while.

Doubtful. The male will protect the eggs from anything like starfish or snails. What other fish do you have with them? A wrasse might be quick enough.

[cabrego]

Well...lost the hatch again. They made it through 5 days this time. The eggs looked healthy last night and I think something else got to them. The male had been tending to the eggs a lot this time. Will asterina starfish or snails eat fish eggs? Also, I've been feeding heavily and I think my acros are starting to lose some color. I want to move these to a different tank possibly tied to the same system but afraid that disturbing the clownfish often causes them not to lay eggs for a while.

That is too bad. Are the clowns laying the eggs near an anemone? My clowns lay near an anemone and it is a great refuge for the eggs. Hopefully you will have better success next time...

[gioNVA]

They are laying eggs near the anemone. Unfortunately, the anemone contracts at night so the eggs aren't as protected. I do have a solar fairy wrasse but it doesn't go anywhere near that side of the tank. The ones that usually do are the 2 tangs. I have these in the same tank:

 

purple tang

regal tang

2 lyretail anthias

solar wrasse

[ctenophore]

They are laying eggs near the anemone. Unfortunately, the anemone contracts at night so the eggs aren't as protected. I do have a solar fairy wrasse but it doesn't go anywhere near that side of the tank. The ones that usually do are the 2 tangs. I have these in the same tank:

 

purple tang

regal tang

2 lyretail anthias

solar wrasse

Any ornamental shrimp? Peppermints or similar may eat them at night if the clowns are sleeping in the anemone.

[gioNVA]

I have a cleaner shrimp and a harlequin. The cleaner shrimp is on the other side of the tank and have never seen it away from that spot.