Cuttle Eggs came in...

[Cephdoc]

It can take up to 2 weeks for the baby cuttles to start eating?... WOW, i just went to the my regular LFS and he ordered 10 eggs in yesterday, and three hatched last night he said, and i brought them home. They are now in the nursery and they are active, jetting around the algae, walking around, changing color. I can see babies in all the eggs. But i did put about 3 mysids in and they werent interested in them. But if they wont eat for awhile then i wont order anymore today, i was going to order 300 more on top of my 100 so they can feast lol. I am so excited!!! I will start a journal tonight probably at work

 

[SabrinaR]

Well I lost another one. I dont know why, it was probably one of the ones that hatched in shipping. So I now have 7 hatched and 12 eggs.

Well apparently at least one of the cuttle babies is eating. I had at least 4 mysid shrimp in the breeder net this morning and at 6 there were none. I had to add more I am very excited!

 

[Cephdoc]

None of yours have ate any of the mysids you put in there for them? I put some in there but they just hatched yesterday according to the LFS, and the mysids were swimming right in front of their face and they didnt do much. Is there any way to tell if they are hungry. I dont see any yolk sacs still.

 

[Cephdoc]

So they have to be almost ready to start eating i would think. I am in shock it can take as long as you are saying before they eat.

 

[SabrinaR]

So was I but its been 3 days I believe and so far I believe one at least thats eating. I cant say for sure which one but I believe its the one thats whipping around like he owns the joint lol.

 

[DWhatley]

I have not hatched cuttles but follow all postings. One thing you DO NOT WANT to see is yolk sac still attached when they hatch. Cuttle people correct me if I have missed one but I don't believe any journaled that hatched with a visible yolk sac survived. I will try to find Daniels (Paradox) journal as I seem to remember he had a good one to read for timing. I just don't remember if he kept all the notes in one log. Check back on this post in a bit if you don't see a link or a note saying I can't find it.

Here is one of them but not the one I was looking for and I will keep looking to at least post his feeding contration.

This one (from 2006 so keep in mind bandensis were a real unknown at this time) has a nice observation bullet list you both may like to read.

Unfortunately, I can't find the thread where he created a feeding tree (I am pretty sure it was in 2006). I seem to recall that he posted some very good timing observations there.

 

[Cephdoc]

This is interesting but doesnt really answer the feeding questions i was asking thats alright though i guess ill just have to wait and see what happens thanks D

 

[DWhatley]

I am moving all the cuttlefish journals from 2009 - 2010 into either the new cuttlefish Journals and Photos or (mostly) Raising Cuttlefish From Eggs forums . The ones in the later should have some better indication of when they start eating. After they are all moved I will look at moving some of the older ones too but if you look through the jounals for the last two years, I am sure you will see references to when they finally started eating. Look for the longer threads (threads wtih a high number of posts). Reading through them should give you a feel for how many survive as well.

 

[SabrinaR]

Its very unnerving to read through and know that the mortality rate is so high. Thank you D.

I checked on the babies this morning and 7 still alive and doing well. One of them appears to be eating, though it happened so fast I cant be sure what I saw.

 

[Cephdoc]

Any updates? Mine still arent eating but are still pretty active. Mainly hiding, but still jetting around and changing color.

 

[Cephdoc]

To be honest though, i am starting to worry about them not eating. Its been 4 days.

 

[SabrinaR]

I am starting to worry that I wasted my money and time. They dont appear to be alive. They arent moving at all or hiding and they all have this very pearl white color to them. One of them had mysid shrimp eating it.... This is very disappointing and distressing. If none of these make it I am taking down the tank and selling it.

 

[cuttlegirl]

Is there a light on the tank? When they die, since they are so small, they deteriorate rapidly, and their cuttlebone pops out. It is indeed possible that they are dead, if they haven't moved in days from that spot, you might want to try taking a dropper and gently directing a squirt of water at them. If they settle back down to the bottom right side up, they are ok. If they drift, land on their side, or upside down, then they are not ok. I did not see mine eat in the beginning and had many heart-attack inducing moments in the first month.

Keep in mind that these eggs were not in the best shape when you got them from the LFS. This is NOT your fault.

 

[SabrinaR]

Is there a light on the tank? When they die, since they are so small, they deteriorate rapidly, and their cuttlebone pops out. It is indeed possible that they are dead, if they haven't moved in days from that spot, you might want to try taking a dropper and gently directing a squirt of water at them. If they settle back down to the bottom right side up, they are ok. If they drift, land on their side, or upside down, then they are not ok. I did not see mine eat in the beginning and had many heart-attack inducing moments in the first month.

They are all dead

Keep in mind that these eggs were not in the best shape when you got them from the LFS. This is NOT your fault.

It may not be but it feels like it is. I will never order eggs from my LFS again IF I ever do order eggs again. I have just ordered 250 mysids from Paul that will be here on Monday... what a waste.

 

[Cephdoc]

Every one of the babies is dead? What about the rest of the eggs? Are none of them viable? Dont be too hard on yourself, im not sure mine will be ok either, but i will keep you posted.