babies on the way...

[sdergar]

My clownfish pair have recently started laying eggs in a consistent basis. I've ordered the clownfish breading book however I'm having trouble locating green water in the Toronto area. I guess I'll also be looking at live brine shrimp once they get feeding as well. Does anyone in the Toronto area have a source for either items? thanks...

Steve

 

[mysticeel]

You can try coral reefs in brampton i think they might sell green water.

 

[jwalsh]

Might be a stupid question but what is "green water" ?

 

[Mpfaff77]

Green water is just live phytoplankton. You can order cultures from Florida aqua farms and grow your own. But you also need rotifers. Clown fry eat rotifers and Rotifers eat phytoplankton. The circle of life!

 

[jwalsh]

Thanks for that little biology lesson! I want mine to mate but we will see. Its really cool that you got yours to. Any special tips or tricks to it?

 

[MacDracor]

I would imagine that it is more economical to culture your own phyto than to purchase it. Once you have a culture going, all you need is light, air, and clean water. One tip, never ever allow a single rotifer into your phyto culture or it will reproduce to epidemic proportions and clean it out. Some authors go so far as to recommend that the phyto cultures be kept above the rotifer holding area to prevent any from jumping or dripping into it, and always using separate tools for dealing with them.

 

[Mpfaff77]

I would imagine that it is more economical to culture your own phyto than to purchase it. Once you have a culture going, all you need is light, air, and clean water. One tip, never ever allow a single rotifer into your phyto culture or it will reproduce to epidemic proportions and clean it out. Some authors go so far as to recommend that the phyto cultures be kept above the rotifer holding area to prevent any from jumping or dripping into it, and always using separate tools for dealing with them.

All great advice. I'll add that phytoplankton is very easy to culture. The cultures do crash from time to time but you can have multiple 2 liter bottles going with in few weeks. Rotifers are a bit harder. The culture vessel needs to stay very clean. Ammonia build up can crash Rotifers fairly quick

 

[MacDracor]

Did not know that about rotifer cultures crashing. Everything I just wrote is based on personal research, not experience. So, call that a disclaimer. LOL

 

[Jason M]

I read phyto is hard to culture ur self.

 

[MacDracor]

Here ya go! Easy peasy.
DIY Culture Station by Dwayne Sapp - Reefkeeping.com