Clownfish ...Round 1

[Third Coast Tropical]

Okay....about a month ago I posted the thread "Clownfish Eggs Wanted"....and within in days had hooked up with a fellow MAAST member (Orion) willing to donate eggs from his spawning pair of A. percula ...This is an update of my first attempt raising clownfish.

4/7~broodfish spawn in tank on coffee mug
4/14~p/u eggs from Orion in CC and transfer them to my house in PA
4/15~(hatch day)......very poor hatch (only 5%...17/400 eggs)....many factors could have attributed to this, have worked out issues for next go round....left remaining eggs in tank for on more day to see if there would be second hatch
4/16-4/19~(day 1-day4) enriched rotifers in am/Nano in pm,....no second hatch on 4/16
4/20~D5) enriched rots/newly hatched artemia
4/21~lost 4 fish overnite, checked water parameters, water change, 13 total (76.5% survival from hatch thru D6)...pretty sure it was my fault I lost these....salinity got a little high from adding the Nano.....
4/22-4/24~ (D7-D9) enriched rots/NH art,...have some larvae that are noticably behind then others.....water change 4/24
4/25~(D10) lost 1 fish...samll weak larva....12 remaining (70.6% survival from hatch thru D10)
4/26-4/27~(D11-D12) still 12 fish,...2 smaller weaker ones still...4/27 2 fish have settled out of water column, both have 1st stripe
4/28~(D13) lost 1 fish (smallest one)...think it got beat up.....notice some of the fish were somewhat aggressive towards others ...11 fish left (64.7 % survival from hatch thru D13)....about half have 1st stripe




So....thats the update so far.....no pics as of yet, too small to get....maybe soon......anyways, i am encouraged...not bad for 1st go round......and I didnt get too much into it due to the poor hatch......but feel good that i have what I have at this point........again, I want to thank Orion for his genrerous donation of eggs from his beautiful pair of percs....also, thanks to texreefer for the comments and for answering my questions.....k..think thats it

[blindside]

I soon hope to be breeding clowns as well, ill keep reading for tips and tricks. Good luck!

[Kristy]

Wow... first attempt! You make it look so easy. I will be following this thread with interest to see how your little guys do. Best of luck with this effort!

[Texreefer]

have they all morphed? this is when you can loose a bunch.. once you can ween them onto flake food. generally 2-3 weeks its smooth sailing,, Good Job

[Third Coast Tropical]

all have settled out of water column, or..."morphed", all look like little clowns...about half have 1st stripe

[aggman]

that is awesome t.c.t., i have seen orions 'office' clowns and they are beautiful. i can expect the fry to develop the same qualities.

awesome job.

~alex

[Third Coast Tropical]

5/2~ (D17)....still 11 healthy looking little percs......weaning to dry now.....pretty cool little fish

[Third Coast Tropical]

5/4~(D21) still 11 fish ....all but 1 are schooling....2 large ones about lentgh of the diameter of a dime....smallest fish about 1/3 that size....all are eating, still on NH artemia and dry feed.....weaning still......I will try for pictures tomorrow after I do a water change...all have 1st stripe and have orange pigmentation

[Texreefer]

Lots of work but very satisfying

[Third Coast Tropical]

D23....pics are just after i moved them into this tank with new water....they are almost weaned onto dry feed....
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday23pic8phtomgr.jpg?t=1241828472




all but 1 made it into the top pic...

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday23pic11phtomgr.jpg?t=1241828428

[Mr Cob]

So cool, thanks for sharing your progress!

[OrionN]

TCT, Cool little fish.

I got a little issue with the tank and the pair removed all of the 400+ eggs. Change fish to another tank and do water change. All corals and anemone recovered. Fish are comfortable in their new home (24 g Aquapod) Hope they will spawn again soon

[Third Coast Tropical]

5/15 ~ (D30)....11 cool little fish still, ranging in size from approximately 1/3" -1/2" in size.......the largest fish is beginning to get its 2nd stripe on one of its sides (happened today).......fish are weaned onto dry diet.....supplementing every 3rd day with small amount of enriched 24 hr artemia

[Texreefer]

Makes me want to start raising them again

[kkiel02]

Nice, I wish my clowns would lay eggs now.

[Third Coast Tropical]

5/20 ~ (D35)....still 11.....here they are......
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday35may202009pic1.jpg?t=1242802079

and again
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday35pic2.jpg?t=1242802177

and one more time....
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday35pic3.jpg?t=1242802220


....i took some video too, but am trying to figure out how to post it.....

[moe]

that is so coool I wish I was in that stage of the hobby. I just in awe. Great work.

[OrionN]

Cool. Some of them are getting dark already.

[Third Coast Tropical]

you should see them now..those picks were six days ago....a couple of them are really starting to take on black behind first stripe.....about half have some black on there pelvic fins...my underwater camera is down right now..took some from outside and it didnt really do them justice...borrowing a friends UW cam tomorrow to get some updated pics.....still 11 fish....i have one "runt"....much smaller than the rest, but manages to get his share of food...perhaps its just a slow grower???....anyways..thanks again...i would still be twiddling my thumbs had you not helped....this was a good trial run...i have a feel for how they act, feed, and grow...

[Third Coast Tropical]

ok..updated pics

5/28....(D43).......11 fish...dry diet.....25-26 C...33 ppt....pics taken after being moved into new tank....

say hello to my little friends...
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic8.jpg?t=1243490351

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic4.jpg?t=1243490695


http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic7.jpg?t=1243490421

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic5.jpg?t=1243490601

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic6.jpg?t=1243490660

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic3.jpg?t=1243490914

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/percday43pic1.jpg?t=1243490975

they will be going into a tank with filtration soon...yeah!!...less water changing...anyways....ill continue to update....thx Redrum for letting me use your camera again

[Third Coast Tropical]

hmmm...obviously i have photobucket issues...lol..ill work on that

[Third Coast Tropical]

Pics from August 23, 2009
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/WSMbabiesaugust232009007.jpg

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/WSMbabiesaugust232009011.jpg?t=1251076918

more to come...internet issues.....I have video too, can anyone clear it up for me if I am able to upload the video to photobucket the same as pics?...or how to go about that....

[OrionN]

That is really great. I got two of the babies. I am moving so I board them at GC Reefs. I would post some pictures but don't have any at this time.
TCT, the clowns look great

[Third Coast Tropical]

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/WSMbabiesaugust232009008.jpg?t=1251079131

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/WSMbabiesaugust232009003.jpg

[Third Coast Tropical]

Well, see if this works...video link....

<embed width="448" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://i677.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid677.photobucket.com/albums/vv138/LTSmash_photos/WSMbabiesaugust232009017.flv">

[aggman]

are the bars still forming or are they 'misbarred' percs?

also, how have the maroons been. had any spawns yet?

~alex

[Third Coast Tropical]

the bars are still forming, but.....I think I will have 2 misbars, one naked, 5 normal....the stripes and black coloration increase daily, lately the black on 3 of the fish has really become pronaunced....yeah!!!!! .the maroons you gave me Aggman are doing fine...no spawns yet, but have shown good behavior....the female is the most aggressive fish I have....She does not like me in her tank at all...I either get tail-swatted or bit.....they are a good pair, thanks again....

[Third Coast Tropical]

Fish are at 4 months and 9 days in the prior pics and video