Pickle's N-R Breeders Lounge

[makeitso]

Thanks a lot!

 

Yes for feeding the fry I start with rotifers of course then go to OTO A then B1 then crushed foods overlapping each one. Now I'm feeding them the crushed (sometimes flakes with my fingers), cyclopeeze which they really seem to like and sometimes Nutrimar OVA. They are percs yes, picasso from Bali. Going on 6 weeks now I think and still only have the one head stripe. Water's about 81 degrees. I definitely did slack a bit with water changes after meta so that could be it, still did some but not as regularly. But with only 2 baby fish in a 10g tank. They still make quite a mess though so maybe...

 

Thanks for the advice on the pair. They laid a nest on Sunday and there aren't many left again (laid on the glass this time!). Will keep at it though, hopefully soon they'll get it. I wondered if another pair or male might be a surrogate for the eggs, very interesting. Might eventually have to try that.

 

Thanks again!

[Powerboat]

Thanks a lot!

 

Yes for feeding the fry I start with rotifers of course then go to OTO A then B1 then crushed foods overlapping each one. Now I'm feeding them the crushed (sometimes flakes with my fingers), cyclopeeze which they really seem to like and sometimes Nutrimar OVA. They are percs yes, picasso from Bali. Going on 6 weeks now I think and still only have the one head stripe. Water's about 81 degrees. I definitely did slack a bit with water changes after meta so that could be it, still did some but not as regularly. But with only 2 baby fish in a 10g tank. They still make quite a mess though so maybe...

 

Thanks for the advice on the pair. They laid a nest on Sunday and there aren't many left again (laid on the glass this time!). Will keep at it though, hopefully soon they'll get it. I wondered if another pair or male might be a surrogate for the eggs, very interesting. Might eventually have to try that.

 

Thanks again!

That's awesome!!!! Can you post a pix of the parents? I am sure everyone would love to see them.

[makeitso]

That's awesome!!!! Can you post a pix of the parents? I am sure everyone would love to see them.

 

I cannot take good pictures of them haha! Need a camera upgrade, using just my iPhone. This one is decent, taking care of a nest:

[Pickle010]

Beautiful pair!

 

Aside from your water quality you might consider bumping your temps up a little bit. 83/84 seems to be optimal for me.

[Powerboat]

I cannot take good pictures of them haha! Need a camera upgrade, using just my iPhone. This one is decent, taking care of a nest:

 

Those are awesome. What type/name brand Picassos are they? They look different from the usual ones I see.

[US Marine Coral]

I think I saw that pair for sale on Divers Den a while back as Bali Picasso pair. They are beautiful looking pair and congrats on getting they to lay. Good Luck.

[makeitso]

Beautiful pair!

 

Aside from your water quality you might consider bumping your temps up a little bit. 83/84 seems to be optimal for me.

 

Ok cool yeah will up the temp a bit and clean more often for sure. They should be good in a tank with a sump and powerhead at this point right?

 

Those are awesome. What type/name brand Picassos are they? They look different from the usual ones I see.

 

Thanks, yeah I really like them when I saw them. US Marine Coral is right, they are Bali Picasso, they're the ones from DD. They have them occasionally. Think I got a nice pair, hopefully will start getting some babies I can raise!

 

It's a definite learning process, thanks again Pickle.

[Pickle010]

I usually move my fry to grow out tanks around 19 days. I don't have a lot of flow in those tanks but I do run airlines to ensure there is enough oxygen in the water. I don't use any power heads in my grow out tanks. Just the returns and air lines.

 

Now if I kept them longer I probably would - I just don't seem to keep them very long once they are of size.

[makeitso]

Gotcha, ok, didn't know at first if your grow out tanks had a sump or just like live rock or something but I see now they do since you said "the return". Was worried they would just get sucked down into the sump! Again, thanks a lot, will keep at it and make a few adjustments!

[Pickle010]

If you go Michael's or whatever craft place is near you - you can get wedding veil material for just a buck something per yard. I use it to cover the over flow on my grow out tanks. I clean the screen at least once a day with an old toothbrush, sometimes more depending on what I'm feeding.

 

My sump is a couple hundred gallons full of LR, a bio ball tower and fluidized sand bed.

[makeitso]

If you go Michael's or whatever craft place is near you - you can get wedding veil material for just a buck something per yard. I use it to cover the over flow on my grow out tanks. I clean the screen at least once a day with an old toothbrush, sometimes more depending on what I'm feeding.

 

My sump is a couple hundred gallons full of LR, a bio ball tower and fluidized sand bed.

 

Ah ok cool, good idea about the veil stuff. I think I'm going to just hook them up with my main system. I don't figure it would be a problem since there are just 2 of them. When I have a bunch in grow out I'd definitely set up a new sump and all that good stuff.

[edavis402]

i really want to buy 2 of your clowns

[gar732]

Anyone still breeding clowns?

 

After just about three years my picassos finally decided to lay.

http://s858.photobucket.com/user/gar732/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1524_zpse244ac1a.jpg.html'>

 

I'm trying to get everything together to hopefully successfully raise a clutch.

[Pickle010]

I was breeding up until the start of the year... then I made a career change and that took up all of my time. I eventually let me rots go and stopped hatching all together. Things are starting to get more set and stable though... I'm 6 months into my new gig and feeling a lot better about it so I will probably be starting back up soon. I still try to check in here from time to time but it seems like a lot of people get me on my face book page too. Either way works and I'll still help out any way I can.

[gar732]

Glad to hear things are getting back on track for you. I'll be looking forward to your restart. I'm currently on my second hatch at day seven and I have 14 survivors from my first hatch at day 20. I'm starting to get the hang of it and expect a full hatch from this next clutch. I've been using your outline for the most part and figuring it out as I go.

[YouKnowBlev]

I've posted in here before, but wanted again to thank Pickles and the rest of the gang for all the invaluable information.

 

I've got a pair in a breeding specific tank (IE - Not in a main reef tank). Just a ceramic pot.

 

They've been together for over a year, and are approximately 2-2.5 years old. For the past 3-4 months I've been seeing positive signs of a potential clutch, but it has yet to happen. I feed 3-5 times a day. Water temp is 82.4 degrees. 10 hour light cycle.

 

What should I try next? Water temp increase?

 

The pair has never eaten pellets so I feed mysis once a day, and then a 5 flake rotation (prime, formula 1 & 2, cobalt pro breeder and spectrum optimum) because they eat the flakes really well.

 

I actually have two younger pairs as well and all 6 fish look great, act great and seem to be growing fine.

 

But, I'm thinking of going a new route with the feedings and minimizing all the flake food. Any suggestions for the GO TO 3 or 4 foods to start using? Any other suggestions to try and spark some action?

[DimePieceReef]

I would suggest increasing your light schedule to 16 hours a day. What do you have your salinity at? A good variety of food is important. I give a variety of flakes, pellets, frozen and live food.

[ericm1205]

Nice to see this thread is still alive. Lol. How have u been pickle ? Wife still breeding cockatiels?

[Pickle010]

Hey Eric.... I still follow the thread... I don't how "alive" it is but every once in a while I get a PM here or on Facebook from someone that took the time to read it all. lol

 

I actually took a year off from breeding. I needed to focus on my day job and now that it' starting to table out I'm looking to start back in again after Christmas. I made some changes to my brood stock tanks and now I'm on the hunt for more pairs.

 

And yes... the Wife is still breeding the birds - it's seasonal for her since the birds are in outdoor aviaries... so she gets the winters off!

[YouKnowBlev]

One of my pairs started spawning on a 12 day cycle. This morning was their third spawn and I'm seeing a bunch of white specks where they lay. It's hard for me to tell if she is laying these white specks (dead eggs?) or maybe they're eating the eggs and what's left is the white "stuff". Thoughts?

 

I'm okay with them eating the eggs as I know this can happen when a pair start spawning.

[DimePieceReef]

Sounds like they're eating the eggs. Sometimes it takes some time for them to stop eating the eggs. Usually the eggs aren't viable TIL around the 4 TH or 5 TH clutch anyway. Good luck

[Pickle010]

Hey... YouKnowBlev - Any updates? Let me know if they keep eating the eggs - there are some things you can try if don't let them go to term including pulling the pot early. I've gone as early as 3 days prior to hatch with great luck.

[Hieu4545]

I have a pair of Picasso's that are almost 3 years old and have spawned about 5-6 times. I have only gotten an actual clutch from them on the third time, the first two times, the male ate them as the female was laying them. Since the third time however, the female no longer lays her eggs on the pot, she lays them in the pot, but in the water column instead of on the actual pot. They both eat the eggs as they are floating in the water. Nothing has changed as far as feeding and water parameters. Does anyone have an idea what is going on? This is getting really frustrating. On a positive note, I have already learned how to culture rotifers, but have no babies to feed them to. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Pickle010]

Man that has to be pretty frustrating. You just never know what you are going to get with a newbie pair. I'd give them more time to see if they catch on. Are they in a large system or a compartmentalized section? Maybe limiting their space might be helpful. And start looking for a back up pair.

[Hieu4545]

I have 3 pairs about the same age, but that is the only pair that has spawned so far. Another pair constantly cleans and does the dance, but no eggs yet. My last pair won't host the pot I gave them, but host the PVC elbow that I have attached to the bulkhead, and clean that constantly as well, and still no eggs. I have them in 5.5 gallon tanks drilled and plumbed to a 20 gal (soon to be 40 gal) sump with 20 lbs of live rock and a protein skimmer. 3 sides of the tanks are painted black and the bottoms are white. Salinity is kept at 1.020, temp at 84F, and 16 hours of light. They are fed 3-5 times daily with a mix of frozen, flake, and pellets. It's just funny how they spawned correctly that one time and then just FORGOT how to do it. I'm all set for when they get it right. I have 2 x 10gal tanks painted and ready to go with air stones and heaters. My grow out system is 4 x 20H tanks drilled and will soon be plumbed to a 40 gal sump with a protein skimmer and live rock as well. I hope they get it right soon, I'm getting tired of maintaining these rots with nothing to feed them to. I also need to get another 5gal bucket so I can split my rot culture just in case.