After moving my 55 gallon (looooooooooong story)... I discovered that my girl cuttle has laid eggs. They are inflated, so they may actually be viable. Here are my questions... Don't they seem a little young to be having babies (they are about 4-5 months old). Should I remove them from the rockwork in the tank and place them in a net breeder? And lastly, how long until they hatch? When do I need to start buying more mysids :bonk: .

I am kind of sad because it means I don't have too much longer with Scrunchy, Cuddly and Baby A.

After moving my 55 gallon (looooooooooong story)... I discovered that my girl cuttle has laid eggs. They are inflated, so they may actually be viable. Here are my questions... Don't they seem a little young to be having babies (they are about 4-5 months old). Should I remove them from the rockwork in the tank and place them in a net breeder? And lastly, how long until they hatch? When do I need to start buying more mysids :bonk: .

I am kind of sad because it means I don't have too much longer with Scrunchy, Cuddly and Baby A.

Its not to young for her. I personally would remove the eggs and place in a net breeder just make sure they get good water flow. Eggs on average hatch in 3 weeks but it could take longer or less depending on water temp.

Here are a picture of the eggs, the tank is still a little cloudy from the move... Also, I caught Baby A cheating with Scrunchy... oh well, I guess if you are a cuttlefish, any boy will do (at least in Baby A's case, she only has two choices...).

Baby A is on the left, Scrunchy on the right. The mating lasted about 10 seconds, I saw Scrunchy withdrawing his hectocotylus :oops: .

There are about eight eggs in this clutch, they look pretty good, inflated and round.

good news can't wait till they hatch, if only lazarus hadn't eatn all of his mates.....

GREAT!

I wouldn't move them till they blow up a bunch more.
There is disucssion that they do better in the dark.

This is the hard part - hoping they will be viable!

Good news and bad news I guess. You obviously created a great environment for them, because they've been doing what cuttles are supposed to do. :sly: :cuttle: :baby:

I guess this means I won't have to put mine out to stud!

Congratulations, and I really hope your babies live longer than you fear.

Dan

The big kids are still eating well (a little too well... I think I spend more on food for them than I do my own human kids...). I counted about 13 eggs, more than I want to raise, but all of them may not survive.

Congratulations!!!

I just saw maternal care by Baby A - she went over to the eggs and blew water on them... :grin: what a good mom! I am going to watch the eggs closely, but leave them where they are, they get a good flow over them and I figure Baby A knows what she is doing...

Baby A laid another batch of eggs. Probably about 8-15 in that set too... The first set are looking more round and even a little translucent.

Thats great news, good luck with the hatching :)

great news

Baby A laid another batch of eggs :shock: . I had resigned myself to a cuttle-less tank for awhile since my babies didn't make it. I had shipped out all the rest of the eggs. I am not sure what I am going to do with this batch of eggs. From what I can see, there are about 8 eggs in this batch. That makes about 50 eggs from Baby A...

Ok,

I just moved the eggs to the tank breeder and I underestimated the number of eggs. There are about 20 in this batch, so she is up to 62 eggs laid so far. Anyone want some eggs??? :bugout: Don't think I am going to keep all 20...

I have a reef tank stuffed with pods, and a net breeder or two...

:goofysca: :goofysca: :goofysca: Baby A laid more eggs, now she is guarding them... She sure is prolific.

HOLY COW!
How much are you charging shipped to Florida?

Thats great Cuttlegirl keep us updated :grin: :yinyang:

Cuttlegirl after talking it over with my wife.We would like a go at it:grin: check your pm when you get a chance

Thanks Dutch

Fishfreak, no disrespect, but I would concentrate on getting your octopus better.

^ That's JMO though. I guess if you have a suitable tank, then go for it! ^

i do have a suiable tank.. i have a 90g. w/ Monti's Acro's a GBTA, some frogspawn, and other LPS and Softies.. i think they babies would do great in the fuge (well they wouldnt be let free into the fudge but their containers would be in the fuge)

LPS, anemones, and other LPS are NOT suitable for cuttles, and the bright lights you must have will make them hide all the time.

Ok you two,

Please both read the cuttlefish care articles and then start posting. He said he was going to keep them in his refugium, which is not part of the main tank... anyway, this thread is to talk about cuttlefish eggs, so let's try to keep it on topic... Thanks :grin:

Right, but I was just letting him know that this tank would not be suitable long term.

i knew this and i have read and re-read the cuttlefish article
anyway back ontopic good luck with the eggs and you might keep some for yourself cause of the short life span and you have had Baby A and the other two for quite a while now right? (3-5 months??)

I have had my adults for 5 1/2 months now.

Ok,

I removed the last batch of eggs to a net breeder (Baby A was mad at me, she didn't want me to touch this batch...), there are twelve in this clutch, bringing it up to a total of 74 eggs.

WOAH! thats ALOT of eggs!

:shock: :bugout: :bonk: ok, this is getting a little ridiculous but Baby A laid more eggs... will have an updated count later tonight.

Dang how many is that now total?:bugout:

O...M....G!!!!
that is ALOT of eggs!!!

She laid 10 more - total of 84 eggs. Keep your :fingerscrossed: , these may go to a special place :silenced: I'll tell you if it works out...

I saw Baby A and Cuddly "cuddling" yesterday and didn't think much of it... this is the third time she has laid them in the exact same spot - I am not sure if this is like birds, when you remove an egg from the nest and they lay more... she definitely notices when I remove the eggs, I have to throw a bunch of shrimp in the tank to distract her...

Wow, you may have a nice little business selling cuttle eggs there! I would love some if I weren't getting several O. mercatoris for my 47 gallon...

I wouldn't exactly call it a business, I haven't made too much money on the deal...but at least I am finding homes for them...

I give up, Baby A laid more eggs today, in the same place. Looks like 6-10 more...

OMG!!!
im thinkin this has got to be having some kind of affect on her.... doesnt she get tired lol

Good Grief! She's one fecund female!

Your tank is going to be one big box of black blobs, lol!!!!

That is so crazy good luck with all those eggs maybe i can be that lucky when i get mine!

wait isnt Baby A, cuddly, and the other one (the names have slipped me) all brother and sisters?

Animals have no morals. Yes, I believe they are all brother and sisters.

Well,

It is possible that they are brothers and sister but they were wild caught eggs and when I got them they were one week old. Even if they were from the same clutch, they could have different fathers (like my batches...). Some of these eggs were sent to other people who are attempting to captive breed theses cuttles so that there would be some genetic variations (they are going to mix their own cuttles with mine).

Ok,

I finally removed the last batch of eggs, she laid 7 eggs in that clutch, bringing her to a grand total of 91 eggs. It was a little hard to get this last batch because all three cuttles ganged up on me while I was trying to hold the rock in one hand and remove the eggs with the other. Baby A actually put her body between my hand and the eggs! The two males were flashing black and white at me (well, Scrunchy does this anyway, for some reason he thinks I am competing for Baby A's affection...). I had to have my 4-year-old catch some shrimp to distract them - it only took about 20 shrimp... but now all the eggs that I have left are in the net breeder.

Alomst a 100 eggs poor girl :lol: how many eggs are you keeping for yourself cuttlegirl?

I might keep three, then again, my LFS said they might like some too... it will depend on if I get a full time job...

Sounds like you already have a full-time job! haha... 91 eggs...

Hopefully in the next few months my girlfriend and I will be able to take part in all this fun. She is really interested in keeping some. Everytime I show her your pics she talks about how cute they are. She thinks they are cuter than octos... pshhhh!
My 75 gallon tanks refugium has a plethora of various pods and I'm pretty sure if I put a net breeder in-line with the output of the refugium it would be a buffet. I'm considering selling my fish and corals to the local aquarium society members, just to keep some cuttles.

:bugout: :bonk: :shock: :shock: :banghead: Need I say more??? Guess what...

:bugout: :bonk: :shock: :shock: :banghead: Need I say more??? Guess what...

Did she hit 100 yet?

:bugout: :bonk: :shock: :shock: :banghead: Need I say more??? Guess what...



NO WAY!:bugout: She had more?????????????

Seems like every time you take them away she lays more......She wants to be a mommy....ok, ok, I'm anthropomorphising.

Well, she did lay them in the exact same place, again... either it is the best place she could find in my tank or she is replacing them.

I hate to say maybe you should leave them there.

I may do that... tomorrow I will have had the cuttles for six months. My husband's suggestion is to separate the female from the males - I may decide to do that also.

I did get to see Baby A make these eggs, it was pretty cool - I tried to take pictures but I think they are too blurry, I will have to look at them later. I could see her holding the eggs in her tentacles and then it took her less than a minute to attach them to the rock (I raced to the next room to grab the camera and when I came back she had attached the egg to the other eggs...) I really hope she is done, I am tired of going to FedEx all the time...

I'm starting to feel real lucky I had two males!

I just counted the eggs - 8 more, for a grand total of 99 eggs (I think she didn't want to hit triple digits).

Can you imagine having 99 babies?!? :shock: At least with cuttles you don't have to worry about diapers....they're wet all the time anyway .:lol:

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: triple digits...

I just looked back over this thread and realized that she has been laying eggs on Saturdays for a few weeks... wonder if it takes a week for her to produce more eggs.

Muahahahaha!

Well she only laid 4 more, for a grand total of 103 eggs... of course they are in the same place as all the others... I am not moving them!!!

Well,

As I predicted, Baby A has laid more eggs in the same place... I think she is slowing down, there are only 4-6 more today.

I just caught Baby A and Cuddly "cuddling" again - stay tuned for more eggs...

lol thats crazy 3 out of 5 of mine have hatched 2 are deflated so i assume i will not have babys from these 2 eggs thanks for the eggs cuttlegirl

:shock: :goofysca: :bugout: :bonk: :banghead: She's not slowing down... I just removed 25 more eggs - grand total is 128... cuttlefish eggs anyone???? Please...

:bugout:

how $$$ are thay?:confused:

6 more eggs - that makes 134 total... I think she is actually speeding up instead of slowing down - I wonder if this is the end of her life - she is now 7 months old. Although she is still eating well - she was so hungry (and didn't notice the other live shrimp in the tank) that she actually aimed and tried to take one of Scrunchy's shrimp as he was holding it in his arms....

That's a lot of eggs! Very successful breeding effort...still finding homes for all of them?

Nancy

Three more eggs - 137 total. Hopefully between Thales and the NRCC and a few other members, I will find homes for all...

Well, you didn't really expect a Saturday to go by without Baby A laying more eggs, did you??? She laid 8 more for a grand total of 145. I am shipping a bunch to the NRCC tomorrow, so I think they will get a few extra :grin: .

LMK if you get more. I'd like to try to raise a few in net breeders, or if I can get my fuge up by then, in there.

If you ever want to find your babies a good home I would love to buy a few, name your price. Is there any way we could chat? Feel free to contact me anytime @ mymethod1@sbcglobal.net Thanks.

NRCC has so many cuttles, I would love to buy some eggs, I'll be here the moment the arrive. I have a 90 gallon that has been waiting for a month now but can't find a reputable dealer. If you contact me at mymethod1@sbcglobal.net I'll give you my cell # so we can figure out payment and shipping hope to hear from you soon, I will make it worth your while. Thank You!

NRCC has so many cuttles, I would love to buy some eggs, I'll be here the moment the arrive. I have a 90 gallon that has been waiting for a month now but can't find a reputable dealer. If you contact me at mymethod1@sbcglobal.net I'll give you my cell # so we can figure out payment and shipping hope to hear from you soon, I will make it worth your while. Thank You!

I had already committed to giving this last batch to the NRCC and they only had ONE Sepia bandensis. The NRCC is committed to researching cephalopods and captive breeding, two causes I believe are worth supporting. I am not interested in making money on this venture but concerned with finding good homes for the eggs. If my female lays more eggs, I will let you know.

:santa: Guess what Baby A's Crristmas present to me was???? I thought she was finished laying eggs, but no, she just found another place to lay them... at least 14 more for a grand total of 159 eggs.

Unbelievable! Is she in sight again or still hiding?

Well, it's Saturday - she has laid 5 more eggs this afternoon. Grand total 164.

Wow...That's alot of babies to be! I'm not real familiar with cuttles but will have to research what type she is! Good luck with them!

Carol

Wow...That's alot of babies to be! I'm not real familiar with cuttles but will have to research what type she is! Good luck with them!

Carol

She is a Sepia bandensis and from what I heard, bandensis are supposed to lay between 5-40 eggs... I wish...

I talked to someone from the NRCC and she said there is only ONE peer-reviewed scientific article on Sepia bandensis. All that is known about the life cycle of bandensis is from private aquarists and Tonmo people...

Oh, I forgot to mention that Baby A has now been laying eggs for over three months now.

That is so amazing! Has anyone ever heard of a cuttle doing that before?

That is so amazing! Has anyone ever heard of a cuttle doing that before?


Yes. :smile:

Well, I finally pulled the eggs off of the rocks and I undercounted... she is up to 176 eggs. This batch is going to NRCC. All three cuttles still look good and tomorrow is Saturday, and you know what that means :bugout: .

Well, I double-checked the tank before shipping off this last batch to the NRCC. I come home from FedEx and what do I find??? 5 more eggs - 181 total. The cuttlefish get the best of me every time...

Wow...what are people gonna think when you go around saying that you have 181 grandchildren with more on the way?????

Well, looks like she laid about 9 more - 190 total, do you think she will make it to 200? These eggs aren't as well formed as the others - I think she is getting tired...

how much money for each egg?

I found more eggs - she is up to 193...

I just moved the last of the eggs to a net breeder, left her alone for a few hours - and what do I notice under her favorite rock??? More eggs - grand total 198. :shock:

Holy excrement Batman!

Hows the fertility?

I had nearly 100 eggs not develop. Sad me. Good thing there are more!

Hows the fertility?

I had nearly 100 eggs not develop. Sad me. Good thing there are more!

Still waiting to hear if some of them have hatched - but right now at least 50% hatch rate.

Hey Cuttlegirl! Did you get my private message about cuttlefish? If you sent me a reply, I might of accidentally deleted it ><!

Well, for her 8th month birthday today, Baby A laid more eggs... I kind of expected it though, since I caught her cuddling with Scrunchy this morning. Three more - she is officially over 200 eggs. Grand total 201.

I miscounted the eggs - although only by one... she is up to 202 - I have to say I never ever expected my cuttle to lay this many eggs. :shock: :bugout: :bonk: :goofysca:

5 more eggs - 207... anyone want any... please???

If you want to hold on to them for a while, so there are a bunch, I would be interested. I am still not having great luck with development. Sad me.

I currently have 20 - is that enough of a bunch? I can see some of the developing in the egg (the older ones).

Thats prolly enough. Pming you now!