Clownfish fry

[Ruzoko]

Update: Batch #1 died out at day 5. Batch #2 is at Day 9, currently feeding off rotifers and TDO-A. Learned a few things this time round.
1st: Started at 5 gallons on day 1 and started dripping parent tank daily 1 gallon, nonstop until tank full.
2nd: Added seeded sponge filters to tank (not on merely for the bacteria)
3rd: Started cleaning out 1 gallon daily starting day 4 along with bottom.
4th: Def need to pay attention to the sides, with it blacked out didn't notice gunk built up.
5th: As of today day 9, I'm starting to remove 2 gallons of water a day to try to remove as much dirty water a day as they start weaning off rotifers.

Honestly, I feel like a 20-gallon high would be better than a 10-gallon, being able to just constant drip to reduce ammonia is easier it seems. However, I question the cleaning as the bottom would be harder to reach to clear. Will post the next update on day 16 survive or not and will prepare for the next batch with a likely 20-gallon high to test.

 

[Ruzoko]

Forgot update yesterday but day 17 currently sitting on 25 or so clown fry. Dont think they went through meta just yet but some may of started. Attempted to give them a 4hr night cycle but that resulted in what seems like light shock, few started to spin like crazy despite light being dim when turned on. Lost 3 that way with 2 or so more currently spinning at random. Kept tank dim and debating if i should keep it that way til i know meta has passed or slowly adjust back to full brightness. Currently they feed on TDO-A since they are still too small for B it was just sinking to the bottom. Any thoughts?

 

[Ruzoko]

Day 24 Update: Few more losses but sitting still at about 23ish, most babies have gone through meta and have their stripe with a few stragglers. Hard to tell which has fully finished other than the 2 to 3 larger ones swimming like normal fish. They are of course black ice clowns, I do see the orange coming in but unsure if that is from food. Will give another update on day 30.

 

[laughing tang]

Thanks for the writeup and keep us posted. I am setting up myself to do this for the first time and trying to learn as much as I can. Basic question - what do you use for ammonia testing? I got the Hanna test but I was wondering if the RG grow and rotifers would affect it. I am guessing I'd need to filter the rotifers out. Interested in your experience. Also, for the 5 gallons, how much rotifer did you feed? It's hard to find precise info on that. Thanks and best of luck!!

 

[Ruzoko]

Thanks for the writeup and keep us posted. I am setting up myself to do this for the first time and trying to learn as much as I can. Basic question - what do you use for ammonia testing? I got the Hanna test but I was wondering if the RG grow and rotifers would affect it. I am guessing I'd need to filter the rotifers out. Interested in your experience. Also, for the 5 gallons, how much rotifer did you feed? It's hard to find precise info on that. Thanks and best of luck!!

For ammonia, after i lost the first batch i relied on 0 tests. I used seeded sponges immediately at day 1 to start helping with ammonia and dripped parent water daily until tank was 90% full. I then removed 1 gallon a day daily / added 1 gallon parent water dripped until they were weaning off rotifers. Also day 1 i used RG complete with rotifers, i added them until 1 ml of water had around 10 rotifers. At that point they kinda just repopulated the tank on their own. I checked every 4hrs for first few days to make sure roti population was stable adding as need, eventually, wasnt necessary to add. I highly recommend cleaning bottom of tank at day 2 then daily. I waited til day 7 and algae built up so caused a bit of ammonia in those areas when cleaning and i lost 5 or so in the mess. Im sure the roti would affect the test since it tends to want nothing in the water. I did try an ammonia badge but was unreliable. Same with simple test kits. Really only surefire i found this time was keeping a daily cleaning of the bottom to avoid buildup along with sides. Other mistake is my temp was under 80 so this batch took around 24 days to go through meta. Following feed guide i lost some since they were on rotifers still. Just based on current batch i recommend keeping rotifers/tint until after ur positive they are through meta. Can add tiny bit of tdo if using. As stands i lost a few more over last few days, weaker clowns. Could tell because they were bout 1/3 the size of the others. So looks like of the batch pf 50ish im arpund 50% survival atm.

 

[Mikeltee]

I can’t really see anything. Sounds good

lol

 

[Ruzoko]

Here is the current batch. I do notice they still take issue to cleanings. Im trying a 20 gallon high for new batch hatching tonight. Gonna test out how that goes since water volume is much higher.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here is the current batch. I do notice they still take issue to cleanings. Im trying a 20 gallon high for new batch hatching tonight. Gonna test out how that goes since water volume is much higher.

Video doesnt play but appears you are doing well and yes, I recommend small water changes daily

 

[Mikeltee]

I find this fascinating. I once had about 20 little baby bangaii Cardinals in my overflow. I had no idea it take this much dedication. I hope you succeed. With this much effort, you sure deserve it!

 

[Ruzoko]

Video doesnt play but appears you are doing well and yes, I recommend small water changes daily

Fixed it lol

 

[Mikeltee]

It worked for me immediately. I see people say that all the time but I never have the issue. I'm on android. I wonder if it is an apple thing. I don't see vette being the apple type of dude.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Fixed it lol

Still no video. Try you tube. Im on a new PC with codecs

 

[Ruzoko]

Still no video. Try you tube. Im on a new PC with codecs

Strange i checked pc now at it works

 

[vetteguy53081]

Strange i checked pc now at it works

It will work on your computer in this case but not device of others. You tube seems to work for all

 

[Ruzoko]

It will work on your computer in this case but not device of others. You tube seems to work for all

Ill have to youtube link next vid then lol

 

[Ruzoko]

Still no video. Try you tube. Im on a new PC with codecs

try this

 

[laughing tang]

For ammonia, after i lost the first batch i relied on 0 tests. I used seeded sponges immediately at day 1 to start helping with ammonia and dripped parent water daily until tank was 90% full. I then removed 1 gallon a day daily / added 1 gallon parent water dripped until they were weaning off rotifers. Also day 1 i used RG complete with rotifers, i added them until 1 ml of water had around 10 rotifers. At that point they kinda just repopulated the tank on their own. I checked every 4hrs for first few days to make sure roti population was stable adding as need, eventually, wasnt necessary to add. I highly recommend cleaning bottom of tank at day 2 then daily. I waited til day 7 and algae built up so caused a bit of ammonia in those areas when cleaning and i lost 5 or so in the mess. Im sure the roti would affect the test since it tends to want nothing in the water. I did try an ammonia badge but was unreliable. Same with simple test kits. Really only surefire i found this time was keeping a daily cleaning of the bottom to avoid buildup along with sides. Other mistake is my temp was under 80 so this batch took around 24 days to go through meta. Following feed guide i lost some since they were on rotifers still. Just based on current batch i recommend keeping rotifers/tint until after ur positive they are through meta. Can add tiny bit of tdo if using. As stands i lost a few more over last few days, weaker clowns. Could tell because they were bout 1/3 the size of the others. So looks like of the batch pf 50ish im arpund 50% survival atm.

Thank you so much, that is really helpful! I watched all of Luis Perez's video's on Youtube and those were very helpful - he starts with 2 gallon though and I will start with 5. He adds a seeded sponge later when the fry is a bit bigger; is there any problem with the sponge damaging the fry somehow? That was my only worry. I'll have to practice a bit with the Hanna ammonia tester and see if I filter the water it will give accurate readings. Perez showed that he tested twice a day but didn't go into detail on the tester. Loved seeing the video!

 

[Ruzoko]

Thank you so much, that is really helpful! I watched all of Luis Perez's video's on Youtube and those were very helpful - he starts with 2 gallon though and I will start with 5. He adds a seeded sponge later when the fry is a bit bigger; is there any problem with the sponge damaging the fry somehow? That was my only worry. I'll have to practice a bit with the Hanna ammonia tester and see if I filter the water it will give accurate readings. Perez showed that he tested twice a day but didn't go into detail on the tester. Loved seeing the video!

Yeah the sponge itself isnt on, it just has the seeded bacteria on it from the parent tank. You dont want it on until after meta, the fry prior to kinds jus float with current mostly so would get stuck to the filter.

 

[vetteguy53081]

try this

This works and fry progressing nicely

 

[Ruzoko]

New batch hatched but is a bad one, only like 1/3 hatched today (day 10) usually when this happens i lose the remainder of the clutch. For whatever reason it will hatch right before dawn or parents will eat any unhatched. Only got maybe 10 or so this round.