They Hatched!

[Valexia]

My A. Ocellaris eggs hatched tonight, it was day seven. Half the eggs are now hatched, they started at six and bam, tons of little larvae everywhere.
They swarmed the flashlight as predicted and we gently scooped them into their ten gallon tank. Its been about two hours since, so i think the rest are waiting for tomorrow.

Rotifers are expected in mail, and these little guys are huge already!
I was surprised for what i was expecting how big they actually are.

Cross your fingers, i have all the tools, now for the hardest week, and we'll see if i have success this time, wish me beginners luck

Roughly two hundred little guys. At least next time around i will know what to expect and be better prepared!

 

[Scuba_Dave]

Congratulations!! Good luck

 

[Jim Tansey]

SUPER!!!!!!!!!!! Keep us posted, Good Luck.

Jim

 

[Marlboro]

Good luck take some pics

 

[this is me]

congrads!!
pics? I want to see those cute little clowns

 

[Valexia]

they all look like this ._ ._ ._ ._
my camera cant catch them

 

[MarkO]

If you don't have rotifers, you can try feeding them newly hatched baby brine shrimp. Although I've heard they're not too nutritious and their egg shells can be tough for fry to digest.

 

[frazmanw]

Awww they look so cute ._ ._ ._

 

[Marc]

Aww, I wanna see them too!

I have some babies in my tank that will hatch in the next 24 hours I'm sure.

 

[Valexia]

yeah, thats what they looked like! This morning they are still swimming! I heard the brine shrimp would cause death because they are too large, so we are innoculating with a little green water and absolutely pulverized dry (although there will have to be a water change today)
Lets hope my shipment arrives today....i ordered live and culture to start them off like they need to be.

A week ago i didn't know what a rotifer was, let alone know they make a rotifer FOOD.
geeeez!

Thanks for all your well wishes...not a dead one yet...keep them coming.

 

[Jim Tansey]

Valexia,

I don't know what rotifers are either, got any good links.

Jim

 

[JustDavidP]

Here ya go Jim...

http://www.rotifer.com/small.asp

http://www.aquaculturestore.com/info/rotifer.html

This PDF is real good http://aquanic.org/publicat/usda_rac/efs/srac/701fs.pdf

Dave

 

[Kim]

Congrats and good luck! I've been waiting a year for my percs to spawn and they haven't yet! They are still bickering at times! Geez....

 

[Marc]

Valexia, I just realized who you are!

So, once you raise these babies, are they going to be sold at the LFS you work at? Are you still employed there?

 

[Greg Hiller]

Rotifers are needed as first food, IME. For A. ocellaris I would not use newly hatched Artemia until day 5. Good luck. Keep in mind that once they start laying they will usually lay every 2 weeks for the next 15 years, so you have some time to perfect your technique. I again offer my rotifers to you if you need them.

 

[JustDavidP]

Told ya Val....

Take him up on it. If not for this clutch, the next. Greg knows his A. Ocellaris. Kinda like the "Bo-Knows" commercials in the 90's.

Look into the phyto-feast and other products to keep cultures going. When do you expect your rotifers to be delivered?

Dave

 

[Valexia]

sneaky me did the overnight rotifer express, got a dry culture and an active wet culture...all babies are now fed, and happy.

Did a small water change to hold down the ammonia, and to my surprise...NO LOSSES.

My culture should be going full bore in roughly a four days.
Food is perfect for my uses thanks SO MUCH Dave,

melev, my store?? HA!, not by a long shot, but i do have a guaranteed buyer...and a few friends who need some "humor" in their lives.
But yes I still work at the "big P"

WHEW...its been a stressful few weeks, here's hoping i can have continued success.

so excited, they look great.

 

[MarkO]

If you watch closely, you can see the little buggers hunt down their dinner. Keep an eye on your ammonia. Have you considered throwing a piece or 2 of LR into the rearing tank?

 

[Greg Hiller]

My opinion: DO NOT use live rock in a rearing tank. There are filter feeding critters and bristle worms in the live rock that will consume your babies, and the rotifers. I made the mistake once of putting the piece of live rock that my clowns had laid on into the rearing tank. I figured....oh...they'll hatch tonight, and tomorrow I'll take the rock out. Next morning I found the bristle worms cleaning up the last of the hatched larva.

Ammonia build up in a clownfish rearing tank is not a big deal as long as you are feeding ONLY live food. NO inert particles.

 

[Valexia]

good advice, i am sticking to joyce's book and hands on advice (thanks greg
i am doing small water changes to keep eye on ammo.