Hi all,

Well, it seems all this talk has got my guys going!

You'll remember my cuttle escapades right back from when I got the eggs, hatching, growing, and of late a LOT of canoodling.

Well, the cuttle gang have laid some eggs!!!!!!!!! So 360 degrees of cuttlefish life i've witnessed.

It's been a slog at times, but finally paying off. Two bunches, laid in most awkward place ever! Aint it typical!! :lol:

Hoping these are the first of a good few more, in easier to reach places next time!!

Wow..congradulations!!

Pics and documentation! Do they show interest in the eggs? How old are yours again?

WHOO HOO!

Pics are gonna be very very hard Rich, they are under the base stone of the rock formation in my tank. Buggers! I hope I get some accessible eggs soon.

There was one cuttle lying next to them, until feedin time that was :lol:

My concern is that without ripping the tank to bits, I cant get at them. I think I will have to let them hatch, but then, my guess is that they will become adult cuttle food. I only noticed them today, and i'm usually a good tank observist daily, so I reckon they were laid last night.

I think i have to face it that these will have to hatch in tank, and I will try and catch them when they do - not looking forward to that!

Mine are nearing 5 months old now.

Damn, wish I could get pics for you guys - i may just try with the flash now!

Pics are gonna be very very hard Rich, they are under the base stone of the rock formation in my tank. Buggers! I hope I get some accessible eggs soon.

I am sure you will!

There was one cuttle lying next to them, until feedin time that was :lol:

:lol:

My concern is that without ripping the tank to bits, I cant get at them. I think I will have to let them hatch, but then, my guess is that they will become adult cuttle food. I only noticed them today, and i'm usually a good tank observist daily, so I reckon they were laid last night.

I think i have to face it that these will have to hatch in tank, and I will try and catch them when they do - not looking forward to that!

S.o don't seem to bother their babies, perhaps it will be the same with S.b. As the eggs begin to swell, you will prolly be able to snag the attach point with long tweezers.

Mine are nearing 5 months old now.
Great! I can look forward to december babies!

Damn, wish I could get pics for you guys - i may just try with the flash now!


That would be great!

Well, you asked for these Rich!

Please bear in mind that the tank lights are off, I was using a torch in one hand and camera in the other, and the opening under this rock is about 1 inch :lol: - hence they are quite bad!

Oh, and a native snail i have been using in the tank for clean up crew is holding them up for me :lol:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/DSCF0785%20(Medium).JPG

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/DSCF0787%20(Medium).JPG

Great! Keep an eye on them (duh!) See if future clutches have more eggs than this one.

There's about 7 in this one you can see, and the same in the one behind it (which you cant!).

Will keep you posted!

Strangely, there always seems to be a cuttle around the eggs, this maternal care thing is looking like it could be the case, but more observations to follow.

Just got home after a long weekend away and another 2 bunches that I can see - all in the same god damn place - under that HUGE rock!!

Arghh!! :lol:

Just got home after a long weekend away and another 2 bunches that I can see - all in the same god damn place - under that HUGE rock!!

Arghh!! :lol:

You go girl!

Any swelling of the original eggs?

yeah, a little, but the new eggs look much healthier

To add a little, the journey, although come round 30 degrees, may stop soon.

Changes to my persoanl life mean I spend less and less time at home - i'm having to think hard about whether I'll be able to continue, and provide the best possible care for the animals.

Will keep you posted.

Ouch! I hope everything turns out for the best.

Cheers Rich,

We'll see, I need to make big changes one way or another, either to keep a few cuttles, or to get rid completely.

The upside of this situation is that te eggs just seem to keep on coming - the little cavern underneath that base rock is now getting quite full. I reckon I now have between 40 - 50 eggs!

This maternal thing is getting weird. Everytime I look at the eggs, there is always 2 cuttles, both in the same place, both who get very aggitated if any others come close??? Maybe Bandensis, DO look after the eggs.

Anyway, the first batch are developing fast - much faster than my orginal bought eggs, and I reckon they must only be about, what, 3 weeks off at most.

Will keep you posted.

Saw an underdeveloped bable cuttle last night that had hatched. I take that it was from the first batch, as a couple of those eggs are now missing.

Those eggs from the first batch didn't look so good, so am not really suprised this guy came out early and weak.

I'm hoping to start shipping the eggs end of this week. :smile:

This is fantastic, I love how we are now starting to be able to help keep ocean life in the ocean.

Just been in tank to remove eggs, ready for shipping.

I think this will has now convinced me.

I turned over the rock where the eggs were, and carefully removed them, although some were not attached an just in a large bunch, Have about 50 eggs in total so far.

Well, moved them to a breeding net to hold for now, and the adult cuttles followed them, and stayed with the net wherever i moved it in the tank.

Only 2 did this, and 2 were under the rock when i moved it.

Are bandensis maternal??? I'm saying yes!

are the eggs destined for the UK alone or will some cross the atlantic

UK only I'm afraid. :smile:

Great observations!

I'd be interested in knowing whether you can tell if the ones following the eggs are the males or the females or a pair. I don't know if you know each of your cuttles that well (or if its all the possible based on external appearences alone) but if you could some how tell us, I think that would be of most interest!! Great documentation of behaviour, though!