breeders tank questions

[Sally]

Hi:I'm curious about what some of your breeder tanks set ups are like. I have a 30 gallon breeder with some live rock and no substrate. I have no substrate because I do frequent water changes and it seems easier to clean up. Or would a sand bed be a good idea for a breeder set-up? I can see uneaten food fall to the floor (especially when weaning banggers onto prepared foods) so I do have some small hermit crabs in the set up for clean up. Do any of you have hermit crabs for clean-up? Could you give me some suggestions as to what you have for clean-up and substrate in your breeder set ups?

[Dman]

Good Question.
I wouldn't mind hearing what others are doing for breeding.
I am attempting to breed maroon clowns in a 35 gallon tall with the following:

Bib Mombasa protien skimmer
a few pieces of Live rock with some macro attached
Heater
Small power head
Perfecto style 28W light hood
Ammonia Alert
Bare bottom for siphoning purposes.

I was tempted to add a substrate, but declined. Did i err?

TIA
Derek

[FMarini]

Sally/Derek:
I think we might be talking about 2 sperate things here.

If I recall correctly, breeding set-ups are the tanks in which the adult animals breed and make babies.

A growout tank is were we transfer the fry to and grow them to a larger size.

The breeder tanks will vary in size depending on the adult animal. These can have DSBs, live rock, skimmers, whatever it takes to make the fish happy and full of love.

The grow-out tank is a different story.
You'll want low current (like an air powered sponge filter), a bare bottom (for easy cleaning/siphoning), a few hiding spots or plastic items for the fry to feel protected. A lighting diffusers, often times no added lighting (it will depend on the fish).
You change water frequently in this tank(like 15-20% every 2 or 3 days), and clean often to prevent the fry food from spoilng and fouling the water.
AS far as food items, and feeding schedule it will depdne on the fish.

You don't want any other inverts/fish in the grow out tanks, fish fry are food.
hermit crabs will gladly eat your fish eggs and fry
HTH
frank

[Sally]

Thanks for the info Frank. I actually meant grow out tanks. I have the bare bottom and little current....I just wasn't sure about the clean up crew part....I thought some small crabs may help clean up the uneaten food...but you answered my question on that...thanks.

[hartman]

Can i assume that since flow is so slow you need to add a heater also? I was thinking of pluming in the grow out tank to the main tank and then use a very small tube to flow down into the sump and let and overflow pull water from the main tank.

Hartman

[Nagel]

Just wanted to bring this one up to the top with my fry growout tank specs.

10 Gallon tank
65 watts PC lighting 8800k (had extra, was laying around, is 4" longer then the tank)

Here's where I get controversial, but so far I've been successful with it. For filtration, I use a combination of:

1. CPR BakPak IIR for protein skimming
2. 7 lbs of live rock
3. Plenty of Grape and Feather caulerpa
4. LOTS of pulsing xenia

I have a basic cleanup crew of some bristleworms (small ones), strombus and cerith snails, a single turbo snail. There is gammarus shrimps, pods, spaghetti worms and even a sipunclan worm.

For the babies I have included a black line spine urchin (diademia sp.) and they do flock to it for security.

Now, I KNOW the use of the bakpak brought questions to peoples minds, especially in a fry tank. Well, I am happy to say that there have been no casualties as a result of the bakpak. Even if it could pose a problem, I would simply buy a small tank divider, and cut it up to make a box to fit around the rio pump. Holes are still small enough for the fry to not get sucked into. I think the bakpak has dramatically helped me maintain water quality, as I do only a weekly water change of 1-2 gallons on this tank, and no ammonia or nitrite, and only low to no nitrates (that's where the water change comes in handy). So far, so good.....