Atyopsis moluccensis Carrying Eggs!

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 3:27 pm

The 5 gallon would be for the fry. The adults are staying in the 30 gallon.

I think I am going to tinker with making a DIY sponge filter from the sponge from a small Hydro sponge filter. I have all the parts, I just need to put it together.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:00 pm

I'd stay away from any sort of powered filter. Use just a bubble powered filter and don't use an air stone. Little bubbles tend to get caught on the zoes and float them. They can't get loose and die.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 3:20 am

I think I am going to go back with a 10 gallon.

Now that the tank and filter have been figured out, I need to know what kinds of foods to feed the developing shrimp. I know that green marine water has been talked about, but what else--or is that all they eat?

Also, I need to brush-up on my biology. Whay are the life cycle stages called? I am assuming that they start out as zoes. Do they then turn to larvae and then to shrimplets then to adults?

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 5:48 am

You can call them larva or zoes, Either is fine. I'm using the terminology from Amanos. Read over the recent thread here on how one of our members raised amanos. I'm betting the process is much the same.

Algae seem to be the way to go. Using food like golden pearls works for a while, but then the water goes bad. They don't seem to do well with water changes, so fiiiguring out how to keep the water nice for a month or so leaves you with marine green water.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 3:50 pm

Okay, I have just returned from the store with a new 10 gallon. I want to make sure that I have everything to at least start out with.

I have:
10 gallon tank
salt water mix
water from the 30 gallon tank
light
sponge filter
test kits
hydrometer
turkey baster
air pump
airline tubing
check valve
thermometer
heater (if needed)

I still think I am missing something.

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:01 pm

AnneRiceBowl

What do you plan on feeding them ?

John

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:03 pm

I lookd like you will be prepared for the process soon. Hope it all goes well for you. Please update us.

Thanks

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 4:42 pm

AnneRiceBowl wrote: water from the 30 gallon tank
I still think I am missing something.

What 30 gallon tank?

Are you going to culture marine green water?

You need something to black-out the sides of the tank. The zoes are attracted to light and may plaster themselves to the side if you don't. It doesn't have to be fancy.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:42 am

Newjohn wrote:AnneRiceBowl

What do you plan on feeding them ?

John

That's one of the things that I am missing. It has been suggested that I feed them green marine water, so I am going to be starting that soon. I was delayed in starting it because the tank was cracked.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:43 am

Neonshrimp wrote:I lookd like you will be prepared for the process soon. Hope it all goes well for you. Please update us.

Thanks

Thanks Neonshrimp!

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:46 am

badflash wrote:
AnneRiceBowl wrote: water from the 30 gallon tank
I still think I am missing something.
What 30 gallon tank?

Are you going to culture marine green water?

You need something to black-out the sides of the tank. The zoes are attracted to light and may plaster themselves to the side if you don't. It doesn't have to be fancy.

The 30 gallon tank is the tank where the adults live. It's my biggest planted tank, and the most established tank that I have.

Yes, I am going to try to culture marine green water.

Thanks for the reminder on blacking-out the tank. I have alot of black aquarium background that I can use.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:07 am

So, I have a few more questions.

How do I culture marine green water? I found a link: http://www.garf.org/news13p2.html
I am also looking into Kent Marine Chromaplex and Kent Marine Phytoplex. The latter seems smaller (2 to 15 microns) and seems to have more nutritional value, especially for growing invertebrates.

Should I add silica sand or pool filter sand (I think the 2 are the same) or should I use something like marine sand or should I just leave the tank bare bottom? I was thinking that if I had a sand substrate, it would give diatoms and other things somewhere and a larger area to grow.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:29 pm

Alrighty, time for an update.

I have finally setup the 10 gallon. I put sand for a bit of substrate, a sponge filter, glass thermometer, a heater in case it's needed, salt water mix, light, glass top. I am heading out to the LPS in the next few days to get the plankton, and the black aquarium background will be added later.

The females are all still carrying eggs. The fourth female has still not started carrying eggs, but no big deal. I guess she's just not attracted to the male. =P

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:36 pm

AnneRiceBowl wrote:So, I have a few more questions.

How do I culture marine green water?

I started by drinking a lot of wine. The clear glass gallon jugs work best, not the green glass.

Next is some Kent Pro-Culture. This a 2-part algea fert. Get the smallest bottles you can find. I mix 1 gallon of R/O water with 1/2 tsp of R/O right. I add 1 cup of ths to a gallon of R/O water and 1/2 ml of each of the 2 parts of pro-Culture. I inoculate this with some green water (PM me for a source). For Saltwater just add salt to the proper concentration. Use Tetraselmis for salt water. I use daylight flourescent shoplights set for 18 hours a day. I bubble an open hard air line to keep the culture churning. Once the stuff goes from pea green to an off yellow green it has exhausted the nitrates & phosphates and is ready to harvest 50%. Just add more water from above and in around 5 days you'll have another batch.

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:26 am

Well, there's not too much to update on.

The femamales are all still carrying their eggs. The first female that was carrying the bright orange eggs are now a darker orange. So, I will assume it's because the eggs are developing.

I am also having a slight headache with the water. I think I put in too much sea water mix and got the salinity too high. Do I just need to change out some of the water with freshwater and not add the sea water mix?