S.Bandensis Eggs - Almondsaz Cuttlefish Journal

[cuttlegirl]

I had breeder nets that had little slits in them instead of netting (hard plastic, with slits on either end). They floated by having a lip that held a bubble of air.

 

[corpusse]

I bought new ones for this round. You could actually wash them even bleach them and then soak them in RO but for 4-5$ I just get new ones. Mine get clogged with algae real fast.

 

[Almondsaz]

So I really need to post some new picture and I shall do so today, probably late today. I have had fun watching the cuttles and I have a couple that like to perch with their back end up in the air leaning against something, like the small cube the macro is attached to. I have to say they seem to have grown quite a bit and that they do like small amphipods and eat the mysid (live) during the night. I have only seen a couple of chow downs during the day but by morning after lights out the mysid that I put in are all gone. I keep about 10 small amphipods in the breeder net with the cuttles since they hide in the seams as opportunity chow and that population always seems to dwindle. I am not worried they aren't eating because they have all really grown in size. The last hatchling is quite a bit smaller, so I may consider moving to another net til he/she gains size. It is amazing how fast they can change color.

Oh, I tried a common shore shrimp, but must be way too early. They just kept their distance from it and it was still there by morning so into the DT it went.

 

[Almondsaz]

If just tried taking a baster and squirting water through the net to clean off some of the excess debris that gets caught in the net. I can now clearly see my cuttles. Its a good day.

 

[Almondsaz]

So here are a few, not so good pictures of the cuttles today. Also included a pic of what I ended updoing for the live food - it is a 10 gallon tank, with a HOB filter and heater, have added a power pc light and use the breeder net for the amphipods with some chaeto in it. One other shot is of a portion of my reef tank that is waiting for them to be big enough to be set free. I have gotten rid of so much it is a bit sad, but on the bright side it will soon be a great cuttle home.

 

[Almondsaz]

This morning, the smallest of the 5 was floating in the breeder net and obviously didn't make it. The others are all of equal size and quite active, so I am glad for that. I wondered if it would thrive in that it mostly stayed to itself and didn't color change much.

 

[snowmaker]

Congrats on your success so far. This is definitely the funnest project ever.
I found 1 dead early on as well. I understand they can be cannibalistic.

Do you have amphipods in a sump or chaeto ball you can harvest? I have also shaken them out of display rocks.

 

[Almondsaz]

I do have a large block of chaeto with lots of copepods and amphipods in it. I also purchase about 400 amphipods for $45 and keep them in a breeder net with chaeto to shake them into the cuttle pen. I have to say, the cuttles do seem to like the amphipods quite a bit, more so than the mysid. They still eat the mysid but them are intrigued with the amphipods.

 

[Uber Alezz]

What kind of protein skimmer do you have? Or are you just not using one?

 

[Almondsaz]

I have an ASM-G2 protein skimmer that I have had on my reef tank for quite a while. works great. I have the room because I have a separate sump and I run macro in the sump as well. What skimmer are you using and how big is your system?

 

[Uber Alezz]

Oh I don't have a skimmer yet, I'm currently setting up my 30g with 10g refugium for 2 cuttles, and I was just wondering what skimmer to get, any recommendations other than what you have?

 

[Almondsaz]

Will the 10g be a sump or a remote fuge?

 

[Uber Alezz]

It's already a sump, but I was thinking of keeping the cuttle food in there before feeding time

 

[Almondsaz]

I think that the 10g is definitely too small to keep 2 cuttles in. The 30 might be ok. The 10g sump will take a very small footprint skimmer or you would need a HOB like an Octopus or Remora.

 

[Uber Alezz]

Wait, do you mean the 10g is too small for the 30g, or do you mean the 10g is too small for keeping cuttles in?

I was gonna keep the cuttles in breeder nets at first, then eventually migrate them into the 30g or find something in between the breeders and the 30 to bridge the gap, but I wasn't thinking of keeping the cuttles in the actual sump.