Reef fish breeding ideas?

JHemdal · #1 05/25/2006, 10:33 AM

All,

A magazine editor asked me if I want to write an article on the propagation of *one* species that reef aquarists are really interested in working with. I don't think they mean fragging, they want something on fish, shrimp or something like that, and I'm drawing a blank. Does anyone have any suggestions? I just wrote a general article for them that gives an overview of marine propagation, but they thought a more specific article would be interesting as well.
What is the latetest, coolest animals people are breeding at home? Of course, my short list has to be something I've worked with myself -

Thanks,

Jay Hemdal

RCS · #2 05/25/2006, 01:33 PM

It might be helpful then to list what species you've worked with yourself and see what takers you have as far as input goes.

MarinaP · #3 05/25/2006, 02:47 PM

Jay, I just re-read you article on puffers this morning

Good to see you on this forum!

I think rare clowns are of interest to the hobby.

Kathy55g · #4 05/25/2006, 03:10 PM

Gobies come to mind. Recent threads have described Mandarin and Yellow Watchman rearing. Shrimp other than peppermint.

Personally, I would be interested in news on the Pigmy Angel front, but I don't know if anyone is breeding these at home.

Mr. Ugly · #5 05/25/2006, 03:49 PM

Probably not a general interest fish, but I'd love to see one on anglers.

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...06#post7213306

Juck · #6 05/25/2006, 04:52 PM

Dood, that spawning video is awesome. Do you have any pics of the fry? Are they taking the rotifers?

Mr. Ugly · #7 05/25/2006, 05:11 PM

Yep, posted vids and updates on the following pages on that thread.

Gave rotifers to the fry as of 2 days ago. Hope they're taking them.

mwp · #8 05/26/2006, 02:48 AM

WOW that video is AWESOME!

MP

Mr. Ugly · #9 05/26/2006, 08:57 AM

Thanks MP.

If you follow the rest of that thread, you can see vids of the fry. Posted another this morning.

I've been giving them rotifers but I don't know if they're taking them. I'm told they may need a smaller food... pod nauplii. The vid posted today is 3rd day after hatching.

I recently found this forum. If you have any tips, I'd appreciate them. This is the 3rd time my frogfish have spawned, and the first time getting the fry this far along. I'm a newbie fish breeder, and I severely need info!

FMarini · #10 05/26/2006, 11:08 AM

Hey Ugly-
Glad you found the home that started it all.
As for are the fry eating the Rots? good question- shy of having microscopic eyes
1)- you can physcially watch or look at/in the abdomen of the fry. The rots tend to have a slight coloration to them, esp if they are gut loaded w/ phytos. Look at the frys butts?
2)- Sacrifice one of the fry, disect it under a microscope and check for stomach contents

Mr. Ugly · #11 05/26/2006, 12:30 PM

Hi Dr. Marini,

Glad to have found the forum, yes. I've been trying to read through to get the benefit of everybody's collective experience. Some very interesting reading on MWP's mandarin breeding.

As for the fry, my eyes aren't good enough to actually see if they capture any rotifers.

You mentioned about a QX3 on your other forum, and I ended up ordering a QX5 online yesterday.

I've been culturing the rotifers on Rotifer Diet phyto, and the fry have been getting darker, but I didn't know if that might be from something other than the food.

Here is a vid from last night:

http://media.putfile.com/larvae-8th-day

This is 8th day after release of the egg raft and 3rd day after the majority of the eggs starting to hatch. Since the hatching, the fry have absorbed their yolk sacs and have darkened and increased in size. I had started adding rotifers on the evening of the initial hatching day.

mark97r6 · #12 05/26/2006, 04:43 PM

Good luck with that Mr. Ugly! If you want smaller alternatives, check out some recent posts on angelfish rearing. They require small initial foods also.

HTH, good luck
Mark

Mr. Ugly · #13 05/26/2006, 09:32 PM

Awesome. Will look for the posts.

Thanks Mark!

JHemdal · #14 05/27/2006, 08:23 AM

All,

I ended up having to reply back to my editor before hearing what people thoguht - so the topic will be breeding seahorses - primarily because of my techniques for propagating mysids which is important in getting baby seahorses past the 45 day point.
Interesting thread about the anglerfish - there is a species from temperate Australia (tassled angler) that is reported to have large eggs and precosious (spelling?) fry - but at $600 each, I don't think I'll be getting a pair any time soon!

Jay Hemdal

Paul B · #15 05/27/2006, 08:35 AM

I don't think they know that many fish and just about all crustaceans are easy to breed, they do it all the time all by themselves but only a very few can be raised at the present time. Maybe four. I can think of bangai cardinals, which are easy because they are mouthbrooders and the fry are large. That may be a subject for an article. The next one are clowns which are raised all the time, seahorses are about the easiest but the most time consuming and just about any other damsel. Of course other fish have been raised but not very often.
You can also mention that many more fish could be raised in pools. Most fish need more space than a tank affords. I think most crustaceans could be raised in outdoor pools near the sea.
Paul

melsteve · #16 05/27/2006, 11:17 AM

Intresting to hear the Tasselled Angler mentioned I am fish collector here and we get on occasion
There is another chap here who found two together here a few years back and he breed 11 offspring from them I think
Regards Steve

sunfishh · #17 05/27/2006, 01:48 PM

Two words: Fire shrimp