+achen Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 So I've decided to try to raise the clownfish fry from my two B&W pair. Two persistent little kids persuaded me into it. :-) I found out that none of the LFS carries live rotifers. This seems to be something more breeders have to raise themselves. So I got a culture from Reed Mariculture where the shipping cost just as much as the culture itself! Anyways, I have a 5 gallon bucket of rotifers going for when my next clutch hatch, which will be this Saturday. I don't see a lot of threads here about clownfish breeding so not sure if anyone in Austin is attempting to. But if you need rotifers to start your own batch or yours crashed and need some emergency rotifers for your fry, just PM me. Just trying to help fellow hobbyist so we can spend out money on other things. :-) Wish me luck and good luck to anyone attempting to raise these little guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Best of luck! It can definitely be tricky! Eager to watch your journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Thanks! From what I've read it is demanding but I'm looking forward to it. I'm excited to share the experience with my kids. My wife is less enthusiastic since I've threaten to take over her laundry room. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 ?? the setup definitely takes quite a bit of room! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 So the latest clutch hatched Saturday night. My kids and I scooped up about 21 of them. Unfortunately, we are down to 7 as of this morning. I checked my parameters and also took a sample of the water and saw live rotifers under the microscope so I think there's plenty of food. Maybe the dead one were just weak. I've been reading a lot of posts but still a little unsure if I'm doing things right. Every time I see a dead one I feel like I'm doing something wrong. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 The likelihood of all of them living - especially on a fist attempt is very low. This process is ALL about experience and a lot of luck! Don't feel bad! It's definitely a learning process. I've given it a go before and failed miserably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 This process is definitely all about experiences. I've read more forum posts in the past month than I care for and still shaky on what I'm doing. I can use this attempt to observe, see what works, what didn't and apply it to the next clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 If you haven't yet, do a forum search for posts by Mr.Cob. He posted, with a decent amount of detail, his clutches, and fry raising. He's also a great guy. I haven't seen too many posts from him lately, but if his inbox isn't full, you could try sending him a pm. I'm sure he'd be happy to hear from some other central texans taking on the challenge. As I know I am! Good luck with the journey! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Clownfish breeding build thread - first go at it http://www.austinreefclub.com/index.php?/topic/24687-Clownfish-breeding-build-thread---first-go-at-it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 Thanks Bluemoon for the info. I will certainly take a look. Any information I can get will only be helpful in future attempts. Update - Day 3 and 6 out of 7 are still around. The other is MIA and assume dead. Since I tinted the water with Rotigreen Omega, the rotifers population looks to be self-sustaining, maybe even too much for 6 fry. I will start siphoning the bottom and pulling some of the rotifers out so they don't consume all the oxygen. Also going to start sprinkling TDO-A so the fry will be used to the smell. Hopefully I can start weaning them off the rotifers soon so I can get rid of the green water so I can take so pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Thanks for keeping us updated on the adventure. I have no desire to ever do this myself but it's a very interesting read and follow to see the journey you're taking with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 I have a question about this process and I hope I am not hi-jacking the thread. Do you have to use the same type of clown fish for breeding purposes? For example, could you try to mate a maroon clown fish with a snowflake? It would be like making your own dog breed, the maroon flake -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcasisa Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 After quick google search , I have answered my own question. Yes you can mate different colors, in fact there are cases where you can mate different species. I am not familiar with all the species of clownfish, but apparently they are very picky on who the mate with. Kinda like a few people I knew in college Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 I have a question about this process and I hope I am not hi-jacking the thread. Do you have to use the same type of clown fish for breeding purposes? For example, could you try to mate a maroon clown fish with a snowflake? It would be like making your own dog breed, the maroon flake -John Mine just happens to be the same I've read a lot of breeders posts and some like to mix them up to see what kind of hybrid they come up with. I didn't realize there were so many cool types of clowns until I read some of the threads. I'm reading Mr. Cob thread now and he was breeding a ton of different types. I bought mine as a pair of juveniles from Aquatek probably about 4 years ago. It's funny. I look at my tank every day for 4 yrs and then one day you realize...wow! one of them had gotten a lot bigger than the other! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 10, 2016 Author Share Posted March 10, 2016 Day 5 update. I'm down to the Fantastic Four. :-) I was traveling for work all day yesterday so all I could do was tint the water. My fry tank looks more like a second culture of rotifers than a fry tank. lol. I did noticed that the four left are growing. Still very small but starting to look more like little fishies. Hoping I can grab my wife's digital to get a close up shot. Other than siphoning the water and dripping in new water, just hoping to little guys are eating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 Just an update, the Fantastic Four as my kids decided to call them are still alive and well. Two of them already started fighting with each other. The other two just stays away from them. lol. Best picture I could take so far with my phone. https://goo.gl/photos/dcVeU1re36nx2oys9 Here's a video of those two sizing each other up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Fantastic Four still alive and kicking. Picture day. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJohnson Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Now you need to start a clownfish harem tank! Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Yes. A harem tank of four. :-) I got an old Nano Cube 12 I'm going to set up as their grow out tank. I need to get that set up so I can move them over. I got a 5 from a recent clutch that's just starting to go through metamorphosis. Hoping I can them to the same tank when they get a little bigger. I'm just afraid they might be picked on by the older four. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Just an update, all my babies are doing eating and growing nicely. I set up my old Nano Cube last weekend and moved the Fab Five over from their tiny 2.5 gal tank. I think they like the extra space. Still debating on whether I will move the bigger foursome into the same tank or not. It would be easier to maintain if I just have one tank. The size difference still amazes me. Fantastic Four at 5 weeks: Fab Five at 21 days: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Well alright, alright, alright... This is awesome! I normally root against michigan...but I'm down with this fab five! Amazing journey so far. Keep us updated! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+achen Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 Ha ha. I'm not a Michigan fan but glad someone know the reference to the Fab Five. :-) They've definitely have grown much faster in the larger tank. They are getting closer to the size of the two smaller ones from the foursome. So maybe it will be okay when I move the older four into the same tank this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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