Orchid Dottyback Breeding Attempt

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PeterLL

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Is that a kamohara blenny? Get another are they will use the pipe to breed as well. As far as the dottybacks go, if the blenny starts sleeping in it, it won't use it as a nest.
It for sure is, I love his little goofy face. I did consider getting another, but as they aren't hermaphroditic like the Orchids, and have no sexual dimorphism, I wasn't really prepared to take the 50/50 risk a mate vs extra bristleworm food. I do have a few more pipesain the tank and the Kamohara has been in and out of all of them all day, but the orchid has shown no interest at all. Wondering if there is any way to make him more comfortable to explore them, or if it is just a waiting game (and blocking off the natural caves)
 

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Good luck and following!
 

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It for sure is, I love his little goofy face. I did consider getting another, but as they aren't hermaphroditic like the Orchids, and have no sexual dimorphism, I wasn't really prepared to take the 50/50 risk a mate vs extra bristleworm food. I do have a few more pipesain the tank and the Kamohara has been in and out of all of them all day, but the orchid has shown no interest at all. Wondering if there is any way to make him more comfortable to explore them, or if it is just a waiting game (and blocking off the natural caves)
This may or may not be true, but I have read that fang blennies (striped specifically, in my research) are sexually dimorphic. Males have forked tails and females dont. I was told this by someone who breeds them.
 

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Female:
1611026738586.png
 
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This may or may not be true, but I have read that fang blennies (striped specifically, in my research) are sexually dimorphic. Males have forked tails and females dont. I was told this by someone who breeds them.
Thank you I see what you mean there is a definite distinction I hadn't noticed before. They are an awesome fish and one I would really want to breed. Unfortunately they are a bit scarce here and have to be specially ordered in, so it would still be chance whether I get a partner as I wouldn't be able to choose at the shop really. Definitely one to keep in mind though as I'm sure it would be a super interesting project.
Speaking of the Orchids - he's now taken to a stand for my nitrate reactor - which is pretty open so unsure why he likes it. Have no new signs of eggs unfortunately although he does spend a lot of his time kicking and picking at the sand so I'm unsure if this is him cleaning it up. I am stuffing them full of live pods and frozen foods to try condition them, but no luck so far. Think I messed up and ruined their spawning pattern by playing about with their caves, as he still hasn't returned to the original.
 

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Thank you I see what you mean there is a definite distinction I hadn't noticed before. They are an awesome fish and one I would really want to breed. Unfortunately they are a bit scarce here and have to be specially ordered in, so it would still be chance whether I get a partner as I wouldn't be able to choose at the shop really. Definitely one to keep in mind though as I'm sure it would be a super interesting project.
Speaking of the Orchids - he's now taken to a stand for my nitrate reactor - which is pretty open so unsure why he likes it. Have no new signs of eggs unfortunately although he does spend a lot of his time kicking and picking at the sand so I'm unsure if this is him cleaning it up. I am stuffing them full of live pods and frozen foods to try condition them, but no luck so far. Think I messed up and ruined their spawning pattern by playing about with their caves, as he still hasn't returned to the original.
Do you have access to fertility frenzy?
 
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Do you have access to fertility frenzy?
Unfortunately I do not :( The frozen I am feeding is a mixture of a lots of blister packs that were thawed, blended together and refrozen. Fish Eggs, Lobster Eggs, Red Plankton, Green Plankton, Mysis, Brine Shrimp Eggs, Nori sheet, Brine Shrimp, Mussels etc etc.
 

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Unfortunately I do not :( The frozen I am feeding is a mixture of a lots of blister packs that were thawed, blended together and refrozen. Fish Eggs, Lobster Eggs, Red Plankton, Green Plankton, Mysis, Brine Shrimp Eggs, Nori sheet, Brine Shrimp, Mussels etc etc.
Sounds good, how often do you feed? I feed my pairs 4-8 times a day. Dosing the tank with lots live BBS or frozen cyclops can encourage spawning, as it give the impression that there is a plankton bloom, and thus perfect conditions for larval fish.
 
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Sounds good, how often do you feed? I feed my pairs 4-8 times a day. Dosing the tank with lots live BBS or frozen cyclops can encourage spawning, as it give the impression that there is a plankton bloom, and thus perfect conditions for larval fish.
Oh wow, I have only been feeding twice a day. I will up that now for sure though. I'm assuming you are feeding very small portions then/almost target feeding the fish?

What fish do you have spawning right now too/ have you spawned?
 

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Oh wow, I have only been feeding twice a day. I will up that now for sure though. I'm assuming you are feeding very small portions then/almost target feeding the fish?

What fish do you have spawning right now too/ have you spawned?
Clowns and dottybacks. both pairs are in the same tank. I usually feed as much as they will eat each time, sometimes less.
 
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Clowns and dottybacks. both pairs are in the same tank. I usually feed as much as they will eat each time, sometimes less.
Ooh awesome, glad to have your experience on board!!
Newest developments;
F87BE701-3FD8-483D-AD58-0C0E43C6C89C.jpeg


I will let the father take care of the eggs in the tank for 3 1/2 days, and then I will gently life them and move them to my egg tumbler in the larvae tank.
Would I need to acclimate the eggs, or since they’re eggs I can just swap them over right away as long as temperature is equal? In the new larval tank is 15l of fresh 1.025 salt water.
 
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Ooh awesome, glad to have your experience on board!!
Newest developments;
F87BE701-3FD8-483D-AD58-0C0E43C6C89C.jpeg


I will let the father take care of the eggs in the tank for 3 1/2 days, and then I will gently life them and move them to my egg tumbler in the larvae tank.
Would I need to acclimate the eggs, or since they’re eggs I can just swap them over right away as long as temperature is equal? In the new larval tank is 15l of fresh 1.025
Have the larval tank empty until hatch night, then fill with tank water. Serves as a water change and makes sure there are no acclimation problems.

When they spawn in a pvc tube its much easier to hatch as you can just pull the male with the eggs in the tube and put into the larval tank and he will hatch them for you
 
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Have the larval tank empty until hatch night, then fill with tank water. Serves as a water change and makes sure there are no acclimation problems.

When they spawn in a pvc tube its much easier to hatch as you can just pull the male with the eggs in the tube and put into the larval tank and he will hatch them for you
That makes much more sense, that’s what I’ll do!
I know I wish I coulda got them into a PVC tube for my liking, but think I will be stuck with one of these for now;

0B036152-278E-4E27-A053-1BA7509C0970.jpeg
 
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@Wolf89
You talked about tinting the water green to allow the live food to feed and also allow the fish to see the food easier. Is it necessary to use live phytoplankton, or could I use the suspended (but dead) phytoplankton I use to feed my Copepods?
 

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@Wolf89
You talked about tinting the water green to allow the live food to feed and also allow the fish to see the food easier. Is it necessary to use live phytoplankton, or could I use the suspended (but dead) phytoplankton I use to feed my Copepods?
You can, but it can foul the water super easy. It's possible, but difficult. Live phyto also helps filter the water of ammonia, while dead creates more. Also, what pods are you using? Parvocalanus don't do well on dead phyto.
 
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You can, but it can foul the water super easy. It's possible, but difficult. Live phyto also helps filter the water of ammonia, while dead creates more. Also, what pods are you using? Parvocalanus don't do well on dead phyto.
Hmm I suspected that would be the answer. I can order live phyto of ebay but I guess it is a risk whether what I get is actually living. I'm assuming I tint it like I would say a copepod culture, but just less of a tint. I'm doing Tisbe and Tigriopus Pods for these guys, along with Rotifers ofc
 

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Hmm I suspected that would be the answer. I can order live phyto of ebay but I guess it is a risk whether what I get is actually living. I'm assuming I tint it like I would say a copepod culture, but just less of a tint. I'm doing Tisbe and Tigriopus Pods for these guys, along with Rotifers ofc
Local universities may have it. where are you located?
 
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Local universities may have it. where are you located?

I do have some local uni's but we're in full on lockdown atm so not a great time. I do have some Isochrysis coming in the post. The listing describes at as live so may just risk that one.
I am having trouble with my pods, as in I have no idea what I am seeing in the culture. It looks like an incredibly dense amount of sparkling specks in the water, that do seem to be moving on their own too. Wayy smaller than rotifers as well. I think they may be baby Tisbe Pods, but they never seem to grow up to adults as it has been like this almost a week.
This is the best I could get, on HD you can see slight specks drifting underneath the surface. , although if it isn't HD it will look like a cloud lol
Very Cool!!!!!
following!
Thanks! T-1 day to hatching so here's hoping it goes smooth.

One thing I did notice though is my egg clutch is far smaller than the last one, and it's also being blown around the sandbed inside the little cage as opposed to attached to a hard surface. I hope neither of these affect them negatively.
 
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