S Bandensis

[Mikey]

Good thanks - little more robust that what I gave themm credit for. Water changes are a bit easier and infrequent now on the mysis.

They seem to tolerate higher SG changes quite well, I think temp is the main problem but most get whipped up by the babies so fast that aint much of an issue

When you coming down Col? Your moving this week or next, right?

 

[Colin]

I start moving this thrusday and finish friday, got a lot of stuff to do. The big FW tank is down to about 12" of water, just syphoning it all out to get the last few loaches and cats out!

I am off for a week but dont know if i'll manage down or not and then i go staright back into 12 in a row so best case is next week, worse case scenario is 3 weeks, but might have a wee SW tank set up by then?

cheers

 

[Mikey]

Taking into account that these are tropical cuttles, do you think indirect metal halide lighting is ok? Dont want to hurt their eyes.

 

[Colin]

Good question, i am not sure whether it would actually hurt their eyes or not as they can easily adjust their pupil, i think more likely it would make them much less active during the lights on period.

try and see but i dont really remember much from my cuttles when i changed to MH bulbs, other than switching off the heater

 

[Mikey]

Cheers Col - covered over slightly just in case!

Monkeys are growing now - largest maybe now 15mm??

Hoping to get some pics up over the bank holiday weekend!

 

[oscar]

42 babies!!! (hard to count?) Errr from what i thought they dont mind very dim or very strong lighting - remember where they live! - in caves, deep down, in the shallows, on the reef, amongst weed... (im guessing bandensis stay around the reef but i have no idea! - which is a high lit area!)

Just in case the lighting is too strong provide lots of caves and introduce it slowly - like having a short photoperiod with the light diffusing through a thin sheet or something - but even this wont be needed if they have a place big enough for all of them to get out of it! I think most people i have talked to who keep a cuttle in a reef system used strong halides (one used 250 watts!) but really i think they are fine - (and look awesome!)

anyway back to the babies! - got any new photos? are they growing as fast as i have read (although bandensis doesnt get big does it...hmmm) anyway it sounds like you are doing great! good luck! id love to get as far as what you have some day!

 

[oscar]

oh sorry i just read the previous post...15mm! thats tiny!!! how did you count them!!! lol - they are still in the net i take it!

 

[Mikey]

I counted them when i switched breeding nets. 15mm is almost double in size!! And one is now knocking that!

More pics soon, just got a power adapter for my cam so can take as many as I want!

 

[oscar]

i like the news about the camera!!! lol

DOUBLE!!! wow that is impressive! it hasnt been very long has it? this is more like what i had been reading!!! look forward to hearing (and seeing) more!

 

[Thales]

I don't think the light would actually hurt their eyes. I think that idea got started by people putting WC cuttles in reef tanks and having them die. Also, their eyes often cloud up as they approach sensescence, and I believe this has also been blamed on MH lighting with WC cuttles.

Wow, that is the most poorly written paragraph - I am too tired to fix it!

 

[oscar]

good point

 

[Mikey]

Who wants an update????

 

[Mikey]

OK I couldn't wait, so here it is. Took these while i was transferring the babes to a clean breeder net. Largest baby now about 18mm I would say.

This one shows just how much they use their "legs"

 

[Mikey]

And the rearing tank:

 

[Thales]

Looks good!

I would take about 1/2 to 3/4 of the rock out of the rearing tank - otherwise they will hid and it will be hard to keep track of who is eating and who is fighting.
I found it much easier to deal with feeding and keeping tabs on the babies with a nearly empty tank, a little sand on the bottom and some macros hanging from the top of the tank. YMMV!