Thousands of baby clowns and a thousand more questions...

[gfishguy56]

I have a mated pair of false percs i bought a few years ago to breed. they've laid eggs many times already, but ive never done anything to save or raise them, basically because i'm relatively lazy and i don't have the time. The pair lay eggs about twice a month. My fiance has had it with me not making the attempt to raise even 1 batch of eggs. So to please my honey, i decided to do so, for her happiness of course. Aren't i so wonderful?
Anyway, the eggs were already 7 days old and they normally hatch on the 8th day. Yesterday i removed the tile the eggs were on and placed them in a small tank with an airstone. This morning we awoke to about 7 million little baby clownfishes. I don't have Live Rotifers, but i did buy Frozen Rotifers. I poured some in, but i can't tell if they are/will eat them because everybody is so darn small!!!!
I purchased and read about a gazillion times the Joyce Wilkerson Clownfishes book and she says that live rotifers are best, but it is possible to get the babies to eat prepared foods.
finally, my question... Does anyone have experience and success using Frozen Rotifers or any other types of prepared foods in rearing their baby clowns? Please say yes.....thanx

 

[austinsdad]

Got pics? Just to see that mass orange specs would be awesome.

 

[schoeplein]

Funny as heck. Asking for assistance and we want to see pictures.

What can I say? I wanna see pics too!

The only way you're going to be able to tell if your feeding is working is to wait and see. You can pretty much assume most will not make it.. but that aside, look forward to dealing with 900 new clown tankmates. Time to visit the LFS and cash in

 

[austinsdad]

Presuming you already know the basics. Seen this? http://www.petstation.com/clownfish.html

Looks like the first three days are critical.

Good luck.

 

[here fishy]

OMG!!!!! I want to see! I want to see! I want to see!!!!!!

 

[revhtree]

You will be BANNED if you dont post lots of pics!! Just kidding of course, but that is a dream of mine to raise baby clowns!!

 

[Civicman86]

You will be BANNED if you dont post lots of pics!! Just kidding of course, but that is a dream of mine to raise baby clowns!!

I want to see pics too. Sorry I dont have any info for you, im a noob

 

[pearsont74]

me too....since i have a mating pair of true peculars coming tomorrow

 

[Salttanker]

That goes ditto for me as well!

Mike

 

[badfish]

PICS Please. If you have two clowns, will they eventually mate? I got mine around 4 months ago and they never leave each others side, one is also bigger then the other. What is the usual breeding age?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

My buddy got about 3 dozen ocellaris clowns to metamorphosis just by feeding them DTs Live Phytoplankton. Maybe give that a shot? HTH

 

[sdellin]

Okay, I see lots of requests, but no pics! Where are the pics? Are they coming, did they get lost in the mail, c'mon, the suspense is killing us!

Actually, I have two Ocellaris clowns as well, one larger than the other, bought them together and they're always together. Does anyone know how to tell if they're male or female? I mean, they look like Marlin and Coral, but I'm just not sure...

 

[ZoozFishMaster]

The female will be the larger, more dominant clown.

 

[gfishguy56]

OK sorry for not responding earlier, but i have bad and good news to report. I tried, desperately, to find a local supplier of live rotifers and couldn't find any one. it seems that there aren't any local stores that carry or know anyone who carry them, and, surprisingly, most haven't even heard of rotifers at all! Anyway, like i posted, i used frozen rotifers and, although, some of the tiny babies went after them, i don't think they actually ate any of them. This is where the story gets really really sad. As the days progressed, it seemed that hundreds of babies were dying by the day. I need not have to tell you, but one gets a horrible feeling watching this happen. I couldnt even hatch baby brine shrimp fast enough, and when i did, even the baby brine were too big for these guys to eat. On saturday i finally found a store that sold DT's Live Phytoplankton, as someone previously mentioned, but it was too late, the remaining babies didn't have the strength to eat. On sunday, the last little baby fighter died. Now the good news. I found someone on Ebay who sells Live Rotifers. It shipped out today and i should get it in a couple of days. Now you may ask, Why did i purchase Live Rotifers when i no longer have baby clownfishes to try and save? Well, its simple, as the last little baby clown died, my mated pair began laying an even bigger batch of eggs. Now I have the Live Phytoplankton to feed the Live Rotifers coming in the mail and i also have live baby brine shrimp to feed the new ones after they grow past their rotifers stage, around day 5 - 7. Hopefully, i won't screw this one up as well. Wish me luck, pleeeez, cuz i need it. I will try and take some pictures of the eggs and the parents tonight..
pps, the store i found that had the Live Phytoplankton also wants to buy my clowns if/when i can get them to live and grow...

 

[schoeplein]

Good luck indeed!!!

 

[ellisz]

I was just at a conference where they talked about raising fish and it is not hard but takes some diligence. I would say live rotifers would be best and even better if you get the rotifers to eat some type of phyto- I think DT's would work. You can buy all the food sources you need or make your own of course.

Good luck

 

[ellisz]

Did not read the update. Sounds like a plan.

 

[Civicman86]

Sad but im glad you are ready fro the next batch. YOU might want to tell everyone who on ebay sells the stuff so if someone esle is having a problem finding it down the road they know who to go too

 

[gfishguy56]

I plan on it Civicman, but i will wait to see if what i receive is what i hope i receive. to be continued...

 

[sdellin]

Fishguy, you can tell your fiance this is the reason you didn't try before! I'm kidding and I'm sorry about the babies. Keep us posted on the new batch and I do with you luck and send prayers.