easiest breeders

Discussion in 'Breeding Tropical Fish' started by klink67, Jul 14, 2009.

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  1. klink67

    klink67 Astrea Snail

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    hi I have a 36gallon reef what would be the easiest fish I could breed that I could sell to the lfs? I was think some banggai cardinals.
     
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  3. Amphibious

    Amphibious Plankton

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    You would probably be correct in choosing the Banggai Cardinals. However breeding anything with a one tank "breeding set-up" is futile. If you are serious, I assume you are because you ask, you need to raise the young on their own and you need to separate the male from the female during the "brooding" stage. The reason is, the male incubates the eggs and fry for 30 days minimum. During that time, he eats nothing. Coming out of the incubation period in near starvation condition. If the female is still with him, she has had 30 days to ripen her ovaries and is ready to breed again immediately. The poor male has little option but to accommodate her, the drive to breed is that powerful. It is likely that brood will fail because the male will either die, expel the eggs or eat them. He has little choice because he will die if he tries to be true to his nature as nurturer. The male needs at least a week of heavy feeding before re-introducing the female to him. Usually, they will spawn with in minutes or a few hours and the cycle begins anew. On the plus side of breeding the Banggai Cardinal, the young are big enough to take newly hatched brine shrimp as soon as they appear outside the males mouth. They are susceptible to handling in a net and it would be best to catch the male and remove him for reconditioning. Yet another reason for a multiple tank set up.

    Taking on a breeding project should not be done on a whim. Research, research, research. I suggest you check out Marine Ornamental Fish & Invertebrate Breeders forum here - Marine Breeder's Forum.

    If only human males had to put in such effort for survival of our offspring it would be a different world!!! ;D

    Amp
     
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  4. TritonsGarden

    TritonsGarden 3reef Sponsor

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    They are the easiest to breed and raise. Having said that, let me give you some advice.

    Don't do it for profit because there is little to no profit doing this. Do it for the fun and enjoyment and you will be rewarded. We had a breeding setup and it just wasn't worth the time and effort. We took down the setup and put the breeding pair in the frag tank. Now we just leave them alone and let nature take it's course. Some of the brood succumb to nature and some surive. We give the babies to other hobbyists.

    [​IMG]

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    See Video


    Jack
     
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  5. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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    I love your makeshift urchin! How clever is that?! What's it made of? I see nylon ties but not sure what they're attached to?
     
  6. TritonsGarden

    TritonsGarden 3reef Sponsor

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    Thanks. That's "Ichy the Urchin". It's a PVC cap.

    Jack
     
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  7. amcarrig

    amcarrig Super Moderator

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  9. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    If you ever need a larger fake urchin ? I took a 5.00 tube of plastic pipe epoxy like I use to set corals on rocks rolled it into a ball the stuck in the plastic pick up sticks a can of 100 was like 5.00 also.. very colorful urchin .. Then I just let them breed in the main tank the Fry would hide in the rocks and then in the overflows and the dumb ones where culled and became fish food :)
     
  10. TritonsGarden

    TritonsGarden 3reef Sponsor

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    Great idea! A rainbow urchin. I may make one just for the novelty. I just made this one with stuff I had laying around. We used the fake urchin for the nusery tank. If we catch babies now we just put them in the sump where a real longspine lives.

    Jack
     
  11. madlarkin

    madlarkin Peppermint Shrimp

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    Cool info! I have been looking into breeding cardinals if only for the ease of baby brine vs culturing rotifers. I was leaning towards a series of 10g fry tanks with a 30g breeder to house the pair.
     
  12. supratt

    supratt Fire Shrimp

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    once the babys have hatched and are released could you take the babys and the male and put them in a refugium?