Aku is an aculeatus whom I acquired on 11-12-08. She began brooding on 12-9-08, 2 days from the full moon. The eggs hatched out on 1-1-09, 2 days from the first quarter moon. The moon phases may not be important, but I cycle with the moon so who knows? The Once-ler began brooding on the full moon (coincidence?). During brooding the tank's temp has been between 78F and 77.2 F. The pH has been fluctuating between 7.8 to 8.2, with nitrates, nitrites and ammonia at 0.
The mother octo has been living in a 55 gal bow front tank. When she began brooding, I started to dose the the tank with "D.T.'s" phytoplanktons 2-3 times a week in order to increase the population of native 'pods in the tank. Given the shape of the tank and the fact that I use a canister filter (both minuses in the past) I was able to modify things to get a (mostly) circular horizontal flow. I used a piece of plexiglass that I had drilled holes in then glued on a piece of filter sock so that I can close off the back corner. The intake for the filter is behind the plexiglass panel so that the babies wont get sucked up into it. On the outflow end of the filter, I attached a pvc tube that had holes drilled into it and also attached a flow regulator on it. The result was supposed to be a nice, horizontal flow in a circular direction but even with a valve to regulate the flow it's a little stronger than I'd like. I can turn it off and on as I like, for now it's on. I've also put the bubble rope I used last time in the mix but this time I've placed it on top of the live rock, which is all piled up in the middle, so that they won't rest on it and get eaten by bristle worms.
As with last time, I am feeding a mix of newly hatced brine shrimp and Rotifeast, but I've also added cyclop- eeze. I got Arcti-pods, but they are bigger than the babies yet. Last time the babies were catching wild pods in the tank their size at 6-7 days, so I'm waiting a couple of days to add that to the soup.
I re-read the Iglesias et al studyhttp://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/9300/, and am still unsure how I want to deal with lighting. I have consulted this study both times and find the table of results very interesting! So far I've left the tank lights off of both tanks, and they absolutely congregate in the light. Based on the success rates of the studies, it looks like light may not be as important a factor to growth? I am feeding with the "spotlight" method I tried last time, though. Anyway to concentrate the food and signal feeding time can't hurt. More photos to come, PLEASE ask questions and give advice!!!
The mother octo has been living in a 55 gal bow front tank. When she began brooding, I started to dose the the tank with "D.T.'s" phytoplanktons 2-3 times a week in order to increase the population of native 'pods in the tank. Given the shape of the tank and the fact that I use a canister filter (both minuses in the past) I was able to modify things to get a (mostly) circular horizontal flow. I used a piece of plexiglass that I had drilled holes in then glued on a piece of filter sock so that I can close off the back corner. The intake for the filter is behind the plexiglass panel so that the babies wont get sucked up into it. On the outflow end of the filter, I attached a pvc tube that had holes drilled into it and also attached a flow regulator on it. The result was supposed to be a nice, horizontal flow in a circular direction but even with a valve to regulate the flow it's a little stronger than I'd like. I can turn it off and on as I like, for now it's on. I've also put the bubble rope I used last time in the mix but this time I've placed it on top of the live rock, which is all piled up in the middle, so that they won't rest on it and get eaten by bristle worms.
As with last time, I am feeding a mix of newly hatced brine shrimp and Rotifeast, but I've also added cyclop- eeze. I got Arcti-pods, but they are bigger than the babies yet. Last time the babies were catching wild pods in the tank their size at 6-7 days, so I'm waiting a couple of days to add that to the soup.
I re-read the Iglesias et al studyhttp://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/9300/, and am still unsure how I want to deal with lighting. I have consulted this study both times and find the table of results very interesting! So far I've left the tank lights off of both tanks, and they absolutely congregate in the light. Based on the success rates of the studies, it looks like light may not be as important a factor to growth? I am feeding with the "spotlight" method I tried last time, though. Anyway to concentrate the food and signal feeding time can't hurt. More photos to come, PLEASE ask questions and give advice!!!